Z To A
by Scottea
Summary: The following entries will be the Z – A semi flash fiction I did years ago for a friend who sent me the request where each piece started with a letter of the alphabet starting at Z and had any one of a list of 26 saying/proverbs. As usual Paramount owns the whole STAR TREK world, I just play with the people in it. Enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

"**Z**oomorphism, Doctor, is the representation of a deity in the form of an animal."

"Blast it, Spock, I know that." Doctor McCoy looked at Spock, "It is just that it is a strange final word."

"A possible warning, Captain?" .

"It could be. There are cultures who worship different gods. The Federation is eager to form good relations with Thoron and there has been a request for further contact from Thoron. Thoron is in a very strategic position."

"It is also a Class M planet with a technologically advanced humanoid population. The last Federation contact from them was to report the deaths of the fourteen members of the reconnaissance team who had not been there long. The last word Starfleet tracked from there was 'zoomorphists'."

"Yes," Kirk nodded, "The Starat'sya had to leave them after three days as the ship had to return urgently to Command. We were the closest so we are to investigate how the fourteen died of natural causes and transport ten of their senior governing body back with us. Now, let's go."

Anger momentarily flared in Kirk when he saw one of the two officers was not armed with a phaser then remembered there were thirty-nine officers who would not carry weapons but who could defend and protest others. Those who did not carry weapons clearly had reasons accepted by Starfleet even though he found it a bit disconcerting.

Almost as soon as they had materialized there was a cry of, "Devil alien!" and, before any of them could react, Spock lay on the ground stunned. The armed security officer reached of his weapon only to also be stunned. McCoy went to make a move but Kirk gripped his arm.

As he saw the two unconscious forms being dragged away Kirk turned to confront the obvious leader, "I am Captain James T Kirk of the Federation starship Enterprise and I demand to know why you just attacked two of my officers and where you are taking them."

"I am Habenton, leader of all on Thoron, keeper of the ways. You were expected. The two who were removed will be tested."

"Test? What the hell kind of test will they be fit to pass after what you did to them?"

"Ahhh, a doctor? If you wish you may go with them and report that they went in for the test alive and healthy."

McCoy and Kirk looked at each other and Kirk nodded, "He will not be tested if he goes as well?"

"As long as he respects our ways he will return uninjured."

"Bones?"

"You saw Spock. He's in no shape for any sort of testing other than a medical exam on the ship."

After McCoy had walked off Habenton had them follow him till they were standing overlooking a small arena circled by rows of benches filled by the populous. At the center of the arena was a raised dais topped by a golden statue of a very large canine beast. The animal deity. As he looked at the beast Kirk got a sick feeling in his stomach.

Habenton stood, "Bring in the ones to be tested."

Spock and the security guard were dragged into the arena and McCoy raced in, kneeling beside Spock.

"He's not fit, neither of them are fit, for any physical test!"

"Leave him or be tested with him."

"I'm sorry, Jim, but I won't leave him."

"Very well. Now there are three release nine. Now."

Nine canines, like the one atop the dais, rushed into the arena circling the officers. Kirk first thought the voice was in his head then he realized it was coming from the unarmed officer.

"Tell me go. Tell me go."

Looking at Habenton Kirk saw the man had not heard, "If I send my other officer in,"

"He too will then be tested."

Kirk looked at the officer, "Go!"

There was an excited roar then a stunned silence as the officer jumped down into the arena, drawing the pack's attention to him. Kirk thought there something primal, almost animal about way the man walked, the steady deliberate steps.

Just feet from the officer the dogs stopped, except the leader. The beast confronting, challenging the officer. As the officer started to pass the dog lunged and gripped his hand.

"No!" it was a growl more than a word. The dog released the hand, momentarily lay down, then followed the officer to where the three others were. Silently the officer bent down, picked up the other officer while McCoy assisted Spock, and they walked across the arena, the pack sfollowing him, to stand before Kirk and Habenton.

There was a moment of almost total stillness then Habenton stood and faced Kirk, "Captain Kirk, what we have is yours for you have a god master. Only once every hundred years does one such as he come. None of us dare enter the arena with the sacred pack for none in memory has passed the test."

"Well, right now I need to get these three to Sickbay, Captain."

"I do not require, Sickbay, Doctor. Starfleet requires the Captain have security."

"Okay, I must inspect that hand of yours."

Habenton beckoned his aides, "Show them the Honoureds rooms. See that the Captain has access to and can transfer any and all data about Thoron to his ship. Whatever the doctor needs to treat the Special One, ensure he gets it."

"My First Officer and other officer should beam up to my ship."

"Of course."

Once Kirk confirmed the men were on the Enterprise, Habenton looked at Kirk, "What is it like, to know one like him could control you as he does the beasts yet he allows you to control him?"

"I appreciate being his commanding officer." he looked at Habenton knowing it to be the truth, then at the officer, knowing as he said the words it was a lie, "I am aware of his talents and gifts."

When they were alone McCoy looked at Kirk, "He will be fine in two days as long as he takes these tablets."

"Officer Andrews, may I ask you a personal question?"

"Certainly, Sir."

"How did you do what you just did?"

The officer smiled at him, "I grew up in a Federation pioneer family. I grew up learning how to co-exist with animals, how to respect them, how to read them. What I did just proves my mother was right in what she called me."

"And what was that?"

"She always called me a strong-willed, stubborn son of a bitch."

* * *

A/N Some of these my friend later asked me to expand into full stories and I did some before she died. They were just weekly bits - not the fortnightly full story at this stage. Should have them all up in two weeks.


	2. Chapter 2

"**Y**owling like that, Mister Chekov, is hardly warranted," First Officer Spock could tell that Doctor McCoy was annoyed at the way the young - - - - - was acting, "as it was just a flash burn we all received when there was a flashover from the fire. The cream Doctor McCoy is applying will alleviate the pain and assist in cell regeneration."

He felt both his right and left hands being squeezed and looked from his Captain laying on the bed to his left and the Communications Officer on the bed to his right. He squeezed both the hands back. "Jim, Doctor McCoy has you that your eyes will be fine, that you will only have those pads on them for the thirty-eight hours you will be in here. Lieutenant Uhura, you have a few first degree burns and singed hair and your eyes will be covered for just twenty- two hours.

"Sulu?" Kirk thought of his - - - - as he was the only one not mentioned.

"He is in isolation for now with Officer Jennings. Both with temporary breathing difficulties caused by the inhalation of those gases. McCoy has assured me that they will both make a full recovery."

"What caused?" Kirk stopped as he remembered it had been his idea to open the small window for a moment and had not thought of the fire that was slowly going out and the fact that there were unknown gases outside the room they were in. Only Spock's quick reaction in slamming the window shut almost as soon as Kirk had opened it had stopped the flashover from becoming a major fire.

"We were fortunate Sulu and Officer Jennings returned when they did with the equipment."

"And the medical kit. Carrying it and the equipment has given Officer Jennings some strained muscles."

"There vas not enough medicine. I cannot feel my fingers."

"As I have explained, Chekov, Doctor McCoy has," Spock started.

"Spock, don't bother." McCoy shook his head as the Vulcan looked at him and saw the smile that touched the blue eyes, "As my great, great, grandmother would say you should not waste time trying to teach a pig to sing, it only wastes your time and annoys the pig."

They all laughed, including Chekov.


	3. Chapter 3

"**X**enophobia is rife on this planet, Jim. If Spock did crash here we could have problems."

Captain Kirk looked at his Chief Medical Officer and saw the concern plain on Doctor McCoy's face. They had received permission to beam down to the planet from the Chairman of the Council of Elders and stood on the transporting platform in their council chambers. A man Kirk could remember meeting years before came forward, hand extended, "So, you are now a Captain with your own ship? Last time we met you were awaiting notification of promotion. I was at your Starfleet Command after formalizing our entry into the Federation. I recall that even then you did not accept our beliefs but it works for our planet."

Kirk suddenly remembered their last conversation. "On your planet, yes. But what about those other species who would visit and trade with your? What about if your people wanted to travel and experience life with others of different species?"

"That is not how we have survived. That is not our way."

"Ways can and do change."

Kirk took the hand, "Chairman Luwn, it has been some time."

"And things have not changed. You mentioned that a Vulcan from your ship was on the craft we found crashed in the Cluant area of our planet."

"That is correct."

"As I told you we found no trace of the Vulcan. You should know that those who live in Cluant are even more xenophobic than most and if your officer were alive there at the time of the crash it would not be alive for long and no trace of any body would be found."

The realization that that was the truth shook Kirk for a moment but he looked at the man, "May we go to the site? We may detect something. He may have left a sign."

"You are welcome to go but you will find only the wreck that will not have been touched as we have not cleared it for salvage."

Kirk and McCoy were taken to the wrecked shuttle craft and left there after assuring the Chairman they would beam back to the Enterprise after they had thoroughly examined the wreck. "Had it been a human and survived it would have been taken for care. I hope it was not a vital crew member. I look forward to our next meeting, Captain, Doctor."

After he had gone McCoy looked at Kirk, "That man scares me, Jim. To feel that way about others in leaders always scare me."

"I'm the same, Bones." Kirk looked at the wreck, "This looks insurvivable. I only hope,"

They were aware of a small group of the locals gathering around the wreck. Kirk did not miss how they looked around in an alert way. A young girl walked forward, looked back at her parents who nodded and she held her hand up in the Vulcan sign. Kirk slowly returned the sign.

A man walked up and placed his hands on the girl's shoulders, "He is alive and at our house. Tallan found him injured. Come."

It was all Jim Kirk could do not to rush up to his friend and hug him but Spock stood and gave him a nod, "It is pleasing to see you Captain. I feel I have put these people at risk."

Kirk turned and looked at the man, "You know that the Chairman,"

"He leaves us alone as we are the lowest of the low, we remind them that there are others."

"How? If you do not mind me saying so, you look like them. Build, skin tone, hair. No," McCoy looked around then at Kirk, "They have different colored eyes, Jim. All we met in the city had light brown eyes but look, dark brown, blue, grey."

"That makes us different in their eyes. They will take our produce, they will let us do work they do not want to do, but they do not treat us as equals. They said they wanted his body as they saw green blood at the crash site. We know what they would have done and he said you would come for him. They even asked the young if they had seen anybody different and the children all said no although they had all seen him."

"They lied to,"

"No, they did not lie, not in our eyes nor their eyes."

"What do you mean?"

"While it would be nice to chat with you it is best if you go back to your ship. It would be good if you took ten of our young. They deserve more and can come back later when the Chairman is older and more have visited our planet."

"What do the parents,"

"They asked me to ask you. All the young, including Tallan, are ready."

The three Enterprise men looked at one another for hardly a heartbeat before Kirk nodded, "We will ensure they are placed with families who will see to it they get the best education. But why did you assist Spock. Anybody can see he is different. And you never explained whay you meant about them not telling lies to the officials."

Tallan hugged her father and a woman who was obviously her mother before picking up a pack almost as large as she was then stood before Kirk, "It is not what is seen but what is sensed, felt within that matters. We did not lie as, to us, he is a stranger but he is not different. To a blind person a piece of glass is like a piece of precious stone and we choose to be blind about one another for all are the same."

As the transporter beam took them Kirk had a feeling that Tallan would be going to a known couple on Vulcan and smiled as he thought how Sarek would possibly react.


	4. Chapter 4

**W**atching how the security officer Paul Oaken backed away from him in fear First Officer Spock realized just how much xenophobia was still on the Enterprise. As a result of the fight he had had with their captors when they escaped Spock found he could not hear and knew his vocal cords were damaged. He lacked a way to easily communicate.

A hand rest on his shoulder and he turned, momentarily half-expecting Jim to be there then remembered that he and Doctor McCoy had been able to beam back to the Enterprise before the last onslaught by the rebels. For a moment he looked at the man and recognized him as the second security officer, the one who had stopped the rebels from disemboweling Jim. There was a calmness about the man as they looked at one another. Without hesitation the man took Spock's hand and raised it to his head.

The other security officer was clearly yelling something and backing away but Spock ignored him. The officer before him was offering what he needed and yet Spock wondered if the man knew what it meant, if the man knew how much about him would be revealed in the meld. When the man nodded Spock placed his hand on the man's face in the correct position.

Immediately there was a flood of pain. Not his. "_**Ignore it**__. I'm Darren. What do we need to do_?"

"_What is our location and situation_?"

"_We are about fifteen feet from where the captain and doctor beamed up. Those rebels who attacked us have not returned. Too scared. We just have to wait. You were out for a long time. I did what I could. Paul has been badly shaken by attack_."

Spock felt something hidden in that statement, something he was hiding, "_You are badly injured and in pain_."

A flash of annoyance and Darren smiled, "_You feel? Never mind. It is nothing. We have to move. Rain's coming. When we move,"_ uncertainty, puzzlement, "_can you, can you hear through holding hands_?"

Spock recalled there had been no indication of a change in climatic conditions and was unaware he had said, "_Yes_." until he felt Darren place a hand on his and he removed his hand gently from Darren's face.

As he watched Paul Oaken not look away from him as Darren picked up a backpack and then helped him up Spock was aware that something was said between them that he did not need him to hear to understand. It was not until Paul pointed at Darren's leg and obviously yelled something that Spock looked at Darren's legs. The source of that flood of pain. Two crude tourniquets appeared to be all that was stopping him from bleeding to death. The bloodied bandages down both his lower legs showed the price paid saving Jim.

"_We have to go."_ the way it was said let him know that Darren had seen him looking at his legs. "_We have to go __**now**_."

Even as they stepped out the small shelter they had been in Spock saw no sign of rain. When Darren stopped and pointed at a small rise with some trees on it he heard, "_There. Hidden on high ground. Easy for the Enterprise to locate us. Should be soon_."

"_How long_?"

"_I think tomorrow. Paul's calmed now. Let's move_."

Once they got to the small area Darren had pointed out he took a surprisingly short time bending the saplings and making a shelter. Paul pulled out a location transmitter and handed it to him. Spock understood why Darren had been so sure of them being beamed up soon. A hand held out a pack of mixed nuts and Spock looked up to see a rather apologetic look on Oaken's face. He nodded his thanks as he took the pack and looked at Darren and saw him release then, three point sight seconds later, retighten and secure both tourniquets. When Spock placed a hand on Darren's bloodied right hand the pain was almost more than he could tolerate yet Darren quickly pulled his hand away as the word, "_**No**_!" radiated no only from the touch but also from the look Darren gave him. There were some words that made no sense and Spock dismissed them, knowing how pain could make humans say strange things.

Darren said something to Paul who quickly unfolded the backpack turning it into a large water-proof sheet he placed over them just as a few drops fell from the arch of the shelter. Although he could not hear the rain Spock smelt the distinct aroma of wet soil and felt a damp coolness. Throughout the darkness of the night the rain continued and the shelter, despite the alacrity with which it had been constructed, had, with the sheet, kept them dry. At some state during the night Darren had lapsed into a coma and Spock felt guilty for having fallen asleep.

Just as he was starting to move to examine Darren, Spock felt the familiar sensation of the transporter beam. As they materialized on the Enterprise McCoy started to rush toward him but Spock pointed to Darren and for a moment Spock was sure McCoy would insist on examining him before Darren till Paul said something. All McCoy had done was look at Spock, nod, and press a hypospray against his arm.

Sound. Spock heard the sounds of Sickbay and slowly opened his eyes. Jim was beside the bed and the first thing the Vulcan saw was the smile on this friend's face. "Officer Oaken told me what happened. Officer Slade will be back on limited duties in ten days. Oaken told me how you were left alone after he pretended to eat a piece out of his leg."

It was in the way Kirk looked away that made Spock look over at the bed Darren was on. He had not remembered Darren's family name. He had no recollection of what Oaken was talking about but remembered the bloodied bandages. The rebels were superstitious enough to believe him evil if they believed he would eat his own flesh. Those words he thought were words of pain came back to him and he smiled.

"What, Spock."

"Just what he said down there. I understand it now."

"Mind telling me what it was?"

"He said, and I quote, _You are what you eat_."


	5. Chapter 5

"**V**ulcan healer? What the hell do I need with a Vulcan healer? We no longer need anything Vulcan on this ship." James Kirk had flared at his Chief Medical Officer. There was no way he would tell his friend that since he had had his former First Officer transferred off his ship there he had had mild headaches and that two days ago the fall McCoy had seen him have on the bridge was that headache exploding and leaving a void.

McCoy looked at Kirk for a moment and saw the pain his friend would not acknowledge. Something, he did not know what, had happened to Jim Kirk. Something had turned him against the one being who had been closer than anybody else possibly ever would be. At the end of their two weeks say for rest and recreation at Star Base Twelve Kirk had come aboard not with Spock but with Ryan Hanley and said he was the new First Officer. Nobody had said a word. Nobody commented on the bridge but McCoy knew of the meetings the bridge crew had had about it, Uhura had stopped the men who had gone in to clear what were Spock's quarters till she had removed everything personal that was there.

Over the years McCoy had watched the two in action, there was a silent communications between them, they had been as one. Oh, they had had their moments but they always were together when the Enterprise sailed out. Spock at Jim's right side and him at his left. Now, now it was wrong, it was all wrong.

Wrong, too, was Jim's actions three days ago when he left the bridge in the hands of Hanley while he took a personal call. They had been following a suspicious vessel and he had left the bridge to Hanley saying to take whatever action he thought necessary. Jim had been on a private call and Hanley had contacted him and asked if photon torpedoes should be used as the ship had made a hostile movement when Kirk had said yes two were fired on the vessel although all those on the bridge agreed that while it had made a hostile move phaser fire would have been enough. Now Kirk was under house-arrest for dereliction of duty as he admitted he was on a personal call at the time of the incident and not on the bridge. He was under house-arrest for his action and yet McCoy had heard him blaming Spock for all the problems.

Till the arrival of the Vulcan healer McCoy had said nothing as he knew it would only inflame the situation. There had been moments when he had been looking at Kirk and Kirk had looked around that he knew his friend was looking for Spock. There had been none of those moments since Kirk first mentioned the headaches.

"The Vulcan healer is here with two Starfleet officers to remove Ryan Hanley and appoint a new captain and first officer till you are deemed fit to command again, Jim."

"Remove Hanley?" For a moment Kirk was quiet then he turned and spat out, "Damn, him! It's Spock's doing! Revenge of some sort."

An officer walked in and looked at Kirk, "Not revenge, Sir. If you ask me it was more like protecting you. Here," he held out a disc, "This will explain it all. I am sorry about Mister Spock."

Gawd, how Kirk did not want to hear that name on his ship. He took the disc and was not ready for what it held. The woman he had so blindly fallen for, the first woman since Edith, had used him. He had been a pawn she had controlled, moving him so that her lover could take over the Enterprise. They had it planned. First was to get Spock off the ship and Hanley in his place, then have him arrested for dereliction of duty, and Hanley would get the ship. He had been furious at Spock and his warnings, Spock had also been a pawn in their plan. That woman had it planned and had used their friendship against them, no, against him. Spock had followed his logic and had managed to confront the woman and she had savagely attacked him in public. The personal call was part of the plan, the two people on the destroyed vessel had been promised their families would be taken care off.

"I am sorry, Captain Kirk, but we must act quickly as Spock needs to know we completed our task before he dies."

"What, what do you mean before he dies?"

"In the attack with the human female he sustained severe damage and we were summoned by him to remove the link between you. He does not want die while the link still exists because of the possible damage to your mind. You have been having headaches?"

"Yes." Kirk was having difficulty accepting all this at one time. Spock had said after meeting the woman that he did not trust her and he had shrugged it off.

The Vulcan reached out with his hand, "If I may, Captain, I will touch your mind and remove the link. Spock has no strength to shield you of the impact his death will have on you if you are still linked."

"Wait," Kirk took a step back.

"Jim, what are you,"

"The link. He won't die till it is gone, right?"

"He weakens but fights to hear the link was removed with no harm to you."

"How long does your skimmer take?" Kirk looked at the healer and saw he understood.

"It is thirty-eight of your standard hours, but."

"Bones, with me. Sulu to have the con."

Kirk would never admit that for those thirty-eight he was in a personal hell remembering how he had last treated Spock. All he had said to him, all he had called him. At Star Base Twelve there was not stopping him. He hared to the room he knew Spock would be in and halted when he saw how his friend was like an insect in a spider's web with tubes and wires connecting him to this world. Never had he seen his friend so damaged, so helpless.

Dark eyes looked at him. "Jim."

Kirk gripped the long-fingered hand, "Yes. Oh Spock, I,"

"Please, break the link." Kirk heard pain and the plea in the voice and was shaken.

Kirk moved closer to the bed, squeezed the hand in his tighter as he placed his other hand on the only place on Spock's face that was not bruised, "Not going to do that, Spock. We are one soul dwelling in two bodies and **I am not** **going to let go** of the **better half of me**. For however long it takes, I will be here holding you hand, waiting for you, with you."

Fifteen days later McCoy walked onto the bridge of the Enterprise and went to his usual position to the left of the command seat. He looked around. Spock stood at Kirk's right side. All was as it was meant to be. All was right with the universe at that moment.


	6. Chapter 6

"Uhura, are you feeling alright?" Captain Kirk had turned to face his Communications Officer as he had noticed how she had been a bit slower than usual to patch him through to Starfleet. He was aware she had received a personal message just hours before their encounter with a Klingon fighter trying to cross the demilitarized zone. They had been damaged but suffered no loss of life and were on their way back to Starbase Eight for repairs.

"I am fine, Captain. I was momentarily distracted, I apologize." Her voice was calm and controlled as usual and she appeared to have fully recovered from whatever had caused her momentary lapse.

No, as he looked at her Kirk realized that something was not right. There was something he could not quite figure out but there was something not right about how she was sitting, how she was acting. That message. She had left the bridge to take it and something had changed when she returned. Something but he was at a loss to know just what.

"Captain, two small Klingon vessels approaching at warp six. They are from their new line of attack vessels, only fifty personnel, but with more weapons than the Enterprise. They have scanned us." Spock turned and faced Kirk and Kirk could see their fears had been confirmed. "And Captain, readings also indicate they have the weapon we were informed about being a probability."

"Scotty, how are our shields?"

"I'd tell ye if we had any that were functional, Captain. That last attack left us with nothing that would take more than a slap on the back."

"Well, raise what we have."

"Captain, they will easily tell that we,"

"Ahhhh, the Enterprise and her famous Captain Kirk. It will be so grand to either take you back in tow with us or to blow you into cosmic dust." The face was of a youngish Klingon but one obviously schooled in Standard and in how to deal with confrontations. "Before you waste time trying to tell us of how powerful your ship is we know you have no power where as we have a weapon that will give us supremacy."

"Now I do not know,"

"I told you not to waste our time." Even before Chekov would get the word incoming out the Enterprise rocked from an impact.

Kirk looked at Spock who shook his head. Over four hundred crew depended on him. Starfleet depended on him. Hell, even the Federation depended on what he did. They had no way of knowing if the weapon the Klilngons had could do what it was reported capable of doing and he did not want to be the first ship to experience it. The slow disintegration of the ship. Rather go out as a blinding fireball.

"Well, Kirk, what is your decision? I, Kuth, leader of this attack, had thought the great Captain Kirk would fight, would attack, would be more than a cowardly dog,"

"That is it!" From the corner of his eye Kirk saw Uhura stand, her hand seeming to work independently on the switches at her station. "**That is it**! This is an open broadcast on the highest gain. This will reach your home-world and ours before we do and they will all know that you are a wet-nosed **puppy** who dared to take on this very upset and angry, primal adult **bitch**."

It was clear, to Kirk, from how all those on the bridge looked at her that they were as stunned as he was. When he went to stand she pushed him back in his seat, held up her hand and looked at him challengingly, "Oh no **you don't**! You are too polite, too diplomatic, too by the rules when it comes to dealing with puppies who think they can run with the big dogs." She moved and turned to face the young Klingon, "Just look at him. All slobbering mouth. Bet his masters did not even tell him that that weapon they were given to test, that weapon that it claims will give them supremacy, is faulty. I just bet they did not tell the stupid pup that the emissions left by it on their ship after they have fired it will also disintegrate their ship. Oh, not as fast as it will disintegrate the Enterprise but they will be more aware of their death coming that we will for theirs will take longer."

"You lie!"

"You don't know who you are talking to! Just ask yourself why they would have told you to let them know when you were going to use it, that as soon as you deployed it you were to switch on your trackers and audio onto a special band."

There was a flicker of total surprise on the youth's face, "How, how could you know such things? Only we had been told. This is the first test. I have the honor of using the prototype. I will have the glory,"

"You will, for perhaps a few minutes longer than we will live but only on your ship. It will not matter to those who think for you if you succeed or not. You are just a gullible puppy wanting to please a master who will not remember your name even by now. You will not get the glory for destroying the Enterprise, the more senior officers will, those who designed the weapon, those who created the weapon will get the credit, they will have songs sung about them, their names will live on. You will just be known as the fleet. It will not be you who is remembered."

Clearly the officer was thinking and watching Uhura half in awe and half in fear. Kirk found he could oddly understand it as he had could not remember ever seeing Uhura like this. "What's the matter? Are you, puppy, afraid of a ship unable to fight back? Is that what all your fights have been like, never fair, never evenly matched, never where you faced death? No wonder you are still a yappy little puppy. Either fire your damned weapon and be done with us or get the hell out of our way!""

There was silence, stillness for a few moments then the youth looked away for a moment then at Kirk, "Captain Kirk, it is known that a powerful human female, when angered, speaks the truth. I hope you do not anger her again in our presence."

"Klingon vessels moving away, Captain." There was almost a sigh of relief in Spock's voice.

"Permission to go to my quarters, Sir?" When Kirk looked at Uhura he could see she was only just holding back tears. Something was decidedly very wrong.

"Permission granted. Have you next shift off."

"Thank you, Sir."

Two hours later Kirk, McCoy, and Spock walked together in silence from different parts of the ship and met outside Uhura's quarters, each having been asked by her to go there.

"Come in gentlemen. I must apologize for my outburst on the bridge."

For a moment thre was silence then Spock said, "If you do not mind me asking what has upset you, Lieutenant? You have not seemed yourself since you received a personal message earlier."

"I do not know what got you so riled but there is need to apologize for what you did on the bridge. I should have thanked you then." Kirk looked at her and saw her nod her thanks.

"Mister Spock is right. The message I got was to inform me of the death of somebody I knew years ago. A terrific officer who helped me not be afraid to do what I just did. An officer who helped me not be afraid of death and dying. And an officer who showed me how not to be afraid." She closed her eyes for a moment then looked at each of them for a few seconds before looking at Kirk, "Gavin Robert Wayne was my friend and he died a week ago in an attack on Starfleet Headquarters. He saved fifteen people. The doctor said, said at the end he said my name, said to tell me to keep living a full life."

A faint smile touched her lips as she looked at the three standing before her, "What I did on the bridge was like what he would have done. He always used to say to be patient, be well educated, and be in control of when to unleash my fury."

"If I may say so, Lieutenant, I have always considered you to be patient and very well educated but rather than fury I believe you did was not so much unleashing your fury as having a good catharsis."

McCoy smiled back at her, "Well, whatever it was you sure did him proud today. I sure do not want to be around when you really do unleash your fury."


	7. Chapter 7

"Trust her? That's **my ship** we're talking about, Spock. She has my ship and you ask me to trust her?" The very action of his Vulcan Fist Officer, his friend, asking him to trust the man staggered Captain Kirk. "She's never captained it before so **how the hell can I trust her**?"

"You have often said that trust dies and mistrust blooms. Do you not truly believe that? Has Uhura ever given you the slightest reason not to trust her?"

At that Kirk turned and looked at him and knew, in that instant, he had to be honest, "No, but **she's never captained** the ship. She's,"

"Watched you for all these years, Jim. You just have to **trust her**."

"No woman has ever been the captain of,"

"She is only **acting** as the captain, Jim. She did not ask for the position, she did not seek the role, she has had it thrust upon her by those who hold us. We must trust her to do the task that has been assigned to her to her usual high standards."

In the steady dark eyes that locked with his own Kirk saw the truth. Spock trusted Uhura. He had known for years that Spock implicitly trusted him but to seeing how Spock trusted Uhura made him stop. Uhura had had no say in having to take command, she had had it thrust upon her just as they had had no say in being removed from the ship and held where they were. Slowly he nodded and looked at the others with them, seeing that they were sleeping.

This was what they were trained for, this was what was part of their expectations. The unknown, the unfamiliar, and the suddenness of change. They had been mapping and exploring this new sector and suddenly six of them were transported here, Uhura left in charge of his ship, and told they had to wait in this room for a decision to be made based on if Uhura returned with the ship. Kirk calmed and recalled the entire communiqué they had received.

"Captain James Tiberius Kirk, we cannot allow you into our sector of space until you prove your lesser senior crew can command. If the female performs successfully the test assigned to her you will be released and your ship given new dilithium crystals. Her failure to pass the test will result in the destruction of your ship and the death of you and your crew. The living conditions in your two rooms, along with the meals and refreshments, will sustain you for the ninety-six Earth hours this test will last. End of communications."

That had been their only communication with who or what had taken them off the bridge of the Enterprise. All their sensors indicated clear space and then he, Spock, McCoy, Sulu, Chekov, and Scotty arrived here, wherever here was. Deep inside himself Kirk found he was questioning himself. They had said his lesser senior crew. Did he really think that Uhura was a lesser senior crew? He had left Sulu and Chekov in command, even McCoy had had command but he could not ever remember turning the conn over to Uhura. As he looked at Spock he realized the Vulcan trusted her far more than he did and he felt ashamed. He told himself it was because Starfleet had never given a female the command of a starship, that he had wanted to let Uhura try something that could never be. Spock had always encouraged her while he had been content with her as his communications officer. As a Communications Officer there was, he knew, no equal in Starfleet.

"What," Kirk had been aware of Spock watching him, "What do you think the test will be like for her?"

"Without accurate information that is difficult to fully answer, Jim. I will, however, of so far as to say that I know the Lieutenant will do the best she is able to in whatever situation she may find herself knowing that others depend on her."

"Others, the crew."

"And us, Jim. We have been with her when she has experienced momentary uncertainty but I am confident that, knowing that she alone must take charge, she can control her emotions and do what must be done. If I were to answer with what I believe the situation to be I would say it the test would akin to the Kobayashi Maru one but with only hte lives here and on the ship at risk and with one way and only one way to win, their way." Spock had seemed to look deep in him and saw that doubt as he slightly shook his head, "Jim, **you must trust her**. She is not only the best Communications Officer in any known fleet but she would make a great captain. Being a human female she has one major difficulty she can conquer when necessary, her emotional side. She will rely strictly on her logic in this test, you have to know that."

"But it is **my ship**, Spock."

"Right now it is **her ship**, Jim. She is the captain of that ship now. Later she will return to being a Communications Officer on the ship but right now she is the captain and it is her ship."

Kirk nodded as he heard what was not said. He had to trust Uhura to care for his ship. Somewhat reluctantly he sat down and, leaning against Spock, went to sleep.

Kirk was jolted awake when they were placed back on the Enterprise's bridge. "You have been proven as worthy enough to be in our space. Communications end."

Uhura was looking stunned at them and Kirk approached the central chair, "Lieuten."

"Permission to return to my station, Captain Uhura."

Spock interrupted him and there was a flicker of a smile on her face when she said, "Permission granted, Mister Spock." The she looked at him and Kirk saw a momentary look of regret then she stood down from the chair, "I return command to you, Sir. The ship always was yours."

"Thank you, Acting Captain Uhura. Sulu, warp two on original course." as he sat and watched her walk back to her station Kirk noticed a lightness in her step. She had let him know the Enterprise was his ship and she appreciated his gesture. No doubt she knew he had only said it because of Spock's lead but he silently hoped that one day she would be given at least the title of Captain if not her own ship.


	8. Chapter 8

Sound. That was all that Captain Kirk was aware of. Just for a moment he panicked but then his training and experiences took over. He remembered getting McCoy and Spock beamed back to the Enterprise with what they had been sent to Hallent to retrieve, the attack, a moment of pain, and falling Something had been thrown in his face so that could have caused both the pain and the loss of sight. There was silence around him. Cautiously he reached out. He was not alone. He had a bandage wrapped over his eyes. By lightly tapping on the bandage he could tell each eye was individually bandaged.

It struck him as somewhat surprising how, after the last few frantic hours, the silence was strangely welcome for a moment. A moment of remembering exactly what had happened and who might be with him. A moment of trying to remember who the fifth person was. Five of them had beamed down and he had seen Officer Fraylon helping McCoy and Spock with the bulky equipment as they transported up. A strange sense of unease seemed to fill him as he tried to remember that other officer. He could recall disagreeing with Spock about the man but who and why?

His first reaction was to lash out when he felt a hand grab his shoulder, even before he heard a calm voice say, "Relax, Captain. It's Officer Robert Stewart. We're safe here. I activated a beacon the ship should pick up."

Stewart. An officer that Starfleet had insisted he take aboard the Enterprise for a year. There were two big gaps in the man's record that Kirk knew nothing about. He was given no reason for why it was just one standard Earth year, but that year was nearly up and there had been not instances, till now. He was what, a tracker. A tracker on a Starship, rather incongruous to Kirk's way of thinking. A tracker. That was why Spock had wanted him: this was an unknown planet, an unknown area, and he had Starfleet's highest rating in tracking. He should have known Spock would have a reason.

A familiar smell then something circular and warm put in his hands, "Black coffee, Sir. Not very hot but should take the chill off for you."

"Thank you." The warm liquid was more than welcome. It was reassuring. "Report."

"With the trouble with the transporter you decided it best that Mister Spock, Doctor McCoy and Officer Fraylon go first with the equipment. They were just in the beam when the locals attacked. I sort of reacted when you went down and they have stayed away."

"Sort of reacted?"

For a long time there was silence then very quietly Stewart said, "All I can say is I scared them away by a trick I learned years ago." There was a light laugh, "You get rid of me in six weeks, Sir. It's been a helluva ride. I have two more groups to train when we get back to the ship."

"You on rotation with the other ships?"

"Ahhhh, yes. Now," Kirk felt the cup being taken from his hands, "You just lay back and rest. Should not take them long to get a lock on us." As Stewart helped him lay back down Kirk smelt a hint of smoke. Obviously there was a small fire wherever they were even though it had not been cold.

Kirk slept, a deep sleep, feeling oddly safe and secure with one of his officers there as well as knowing there was nothing else he could do.

Sounds again work him. Familiar sounds. Cautiously he reached out and felt a long-fingered hand grip his, "You are in Sickbay, Jim. You can open your eyes."

Gripping the hand in his tightly Kirk slowly opened his eyes and saw a pair of blue eyes on a smiling face and then those steady dark eyes. He was home.

"You had some second degree burns and there is indication that you could have been blinded if you had not been treated so promptly and the burns were not correctly treated. You are damned lucky Stewart knew what to do. Guess being the tracker he is he knew what plants could be used for what. He showed me how he made the tincture."

"How long have,"

Spock looked at him, "You were beamed aboard four days ago. Starfleet has been notified that we have the equipment and that we upheld the Prime Directive. They were informed of your delayed return to the ship."

Looking at Spock Kirk could tell he had not said it all. There was something he was not saying.

"What?"

"They were not pleased about Officer Stewart being a part of the landing party. I was reminded that he was on the ship for a year to train only. When I looked at his record I noted that. At the time, when we had to beam down, I thought only of who would be best for the conditions we could face and he was the most logical."

"He said he scared those who were after me. He explain that?"

"No need to, Jim. He had burned his uniform and there was indication of some sort of eucalyptus sap having been on the cloth. Nothing on him apart from a few minor first degree burns and scratches."

"What?"

"They had pagan beliefs, Jim. If they saw a man set himself on fire yet still walk and talk they would think of a demon. In almost all beliefs only the devils can walk in fire and live."

For a moment Kirk was quiet. The smoke he had smelt. "Where is he now?"

"Training the second to last group of crew on tracking." Kirk saw something akin to amazement on Spock's face, "I have found it more informative and some of his ideas for forecasting somewhat unique. He trains on using just the body, in using the senses. It is quite fascinating."

Kirk saw McCoy now, "It is interesting and involves all."

"Involves all?"

Spock nodded, "He said, and I quote, if I just tell you there is a possibility you will forget, if I show you then you might remember but by having you do it you learn and remember and, most importantly, you understand." Spock smiled at him, "You and I are going to attend his final training session, Jim."

"And I will be there, too. As you say, Spock, it is **fascinating**."

Kirk closed his eyes and smiled, he was home.


	9. Chapter 9

Rules and regulations did not usually bother First Officer Spock unless they involved any member of the crew being put at risk. He had found that there was usually a very logical reason behind the rules and regulations of Starfleet. Usually.

Had the incident involving Captain Kirk not been so unusual the Vulcan was sure that he would be able to understand and accept their reasoning but the situation had been far from usual and Jim Kirk had acted how he had had to act.

Those about to judge Kirk were sticking to the rules and regulations. They had no idea of why he had done what he did, they were not there to know of the conditions, they were doing their jobs and upholding the standards. They were the ones to judge and sentence Jim based on the rules and regulations.

What that group of men about to judge his Captain and friend had no idea of the sentence Jim had handed himself. Those about the judge him did not know how Jim's memories of what he had done would remain with him for the rest of his life. They had no idea that since that day the only sleep he had had was gained through medication.

"Before we break for deliberation I will give a brief summation of the events and you, Captain James T. Kirk, can confirm it they are correct or incorrect. If they are incorrect you can take your time and correct them. I remind you that the statements given by the three representatives of the Quinton Council agree with the statements made by you with the only difference being that they said there was no hesitation on your part to pass the test. They had no idea that we had such loyal personnel in our force. They had not meant for you to and had not expected you to act as you did."

Spock saw a momentary tensing in Jim's back and shoulder muscles but other than that there was no reaction from him as he stood before the panel. He did not need Doctor McCoy to tell him what that indicated. Looking at the others there from the Enterprise he was surprised that McCoy was not there now. McCoy had sat beside him all through the first hearing but had gone back to the ship saying he had received a message.

"The summation is as follows, upon arriving on Quinton you and your landing party were met by the Quinton Council who had agreed to accept inclusion in the Federation. They said they had one more thing to test with their relationship, to see if a leader, in this case you, was willing to sacrifice a follower, in this case a crewmember, to save the rest of his followers, in the case the crew of the Enterprise. They then asked you to select one of those with you to die by your weapon in your hand. They state that you looked at the four with you and that, just by looking at him, Officer Carl Jennings stepped forward, and that you killed him then immediately turned to your First Officer and placed yourself under arrest. Is that a clear and accurate summation of the events."

It had taken all his strength and the slight shake of Kirk's head for Spock not to react to how what they were saying was making Jim relive it in public. They were, as humans say, rubbing salt into a wound.

"Yes, that is a clear and accurate summation of the events."

"That being stated we will have,"

"Now just you wait on your decision until you hear this," McCoy entered the chamber at a fast pace considering Spock calculated he had most likely run from the transporter area of the complex. "I am Doctor Leonard McCoy of the starship Enterprise. As is my duty to go though deceased officer's file and, if necessary their personal belongings, to ensure that I notify next of kin and if there are any specific instructions as to what to do with their remains and any personal effects. With Officer Jennings there was no body but his records did mention a sister. I contacted her and she advised of a disc he had made that was in his belongings that I had to find and bring here before any further action is done as it could have some bearing on the hearing. I believe it is important for all to hear."

The men on the panel exchanged glances and Spock was aware of McCoy looking between him and Kirk. The concern very clear on his face, clearly he had no idea what as on the disc.

"We will hear it."

"Now remember this is meant for his sister." McCoy handed the disc to the panel.

"Well, Toothpick, if you are listening to this I am dead. Life's been great, I hope death is interesting, and that the transition between here and there was peaceful and quick. I only hope my death was not in vain, that lives were saved through my life, things were learned, that I died doing the right thing, and that if I were called on to give my life for others I did not hesitate to do so be it at the hands of an unknown or at the hands of a fellow officer. If I am killed by a fellow officer I want you to make sure that they are not blamed and that they do not blame themselves for it would have been either my choice or an accident. They will need the most reassurance if they kill me by my own choice for they will wonder why. You can tell them, you know how I could not live with myself if I knew my inaction had caused the death of another or others. Remember how on that second planet we were a pioneer family on I was in a dark funk for weeks after not protecting that second young steer from being killed? How I argued we had enough meat and there had been enough killing? Remember how I said with me dead they would not need to kill it for extra meat? Fortunately I have grown a bit since then but I still would rather die than have others die if I could stop it. Just, if you can, see to it that should I be killed by a fellow officer that they are not blamed for it would be either an accident or my choice. Make them see that if it was my choice there was nothing they could do to stop me. Tell them how stubborn I am, was. Okay, now about the property and money – see that the entire crew of the Enterprise to the youngest ensign enjoys a party celebrating life and use the rest of what is leftover on whatever you like as you were the one for finances. You may have been a little rat-bag as a kid sister but you were the best little rat-bag and the best sister one could have. As our Vulcan First Officer would say live long and prosper. I'll just say fill your life with living, loving, and laughter. I have loved you, Carol, and will keep on loving you. See ya, Andrew."

There was silence, stillness, in the chamber. Then the panel turned of the microphones and for just a moment talked, looked at Kirk, then talked briefly before sitting up and turning on the microphones, "Based on that and the previous testimony of others it is decided that Captain James Tiberius Kirk acted in the only way he could as the Qyuinton Council did not say he was only to show he would kill. They asked him to prove it. Officer Jennings willingly gave his life believing that it would save others. There is no need for this hearing to proceed and all charges are dropped and will not show on Captain Kirk's record. Doctor McCoy, you will notify his sister of our gratitude for his sacrifice."

Spock could see that McCoy muttered something before he spoke up and said, "Yes, Sir, I will do that."

Once all the congratulations and words with the officials was over Kirk joined McCoy and Spock in heading back to the Enterprise.

"You are still too quiet, Jim."

"I, I knew nothing about the man apart from him being a crewman. Do you realize how tough those kids had to be to be in pioneer families? How many others aboard do I not know, how many others,"

"Jim, the complement of the Enterprise if four hundred and thirty and you cannot be expected to,"

"But I should, Spock. I just killed one of my crew of no reason. No reason."

Spock gripped Kirk's arms and turned the man to face him, "You believed what they told you, he believed what they told you, you would not choose, he chose for you. You heard that message. He did so thinking it would save others. He would not want you to blame yourself as it was his choice."

"Much as I hate to admit it, Jim, but Spock is right. It was his choice. What you are doing is not honoring that. Just accept that it was his choice and help us arrange that party, that party celebrating life."

Kirk looked at both of them and saw acceptance and friendship but there was something else, something puzzling, about Spock.

"What is it, Spock?"

"The term rat-bag is different, almost an insult, is it not?"

"It is like Jim calling me Bones or me calling you hobgoblin, it is a nickname, possibly a term of endearment."

"But are not rats vermin?"

Both Kirk and McCoy laughed and deep inside himself Spock smiled, he had got Jim to laugh, to get back to living.


	10. Chapter 10

"Quotations? This, this thing wants us to tell it the right quotation to let us go? Now that has to be a first. We have been here what, four days and given it thousands of quotations but not the right one." Doctor McCoy was on the bridge pacing as he usually did in Sickbay and looking between the forward view screen and James Kirk.

"Doctor, it is illogical to believe we will find the right quotation that this being is seeking. We know nothing about this being other than it has been responsible for the destruction of three Starfleet vessels and several civilian craft. It has proven to be unaffected by any of our weapons and has the power to cause massive electrical interruptions in the ship as well as fluctuations in life-support. It is preventing us from having access to the computer and little else apart from ship wide broadcasting facilities. It has also been able to halt us and keep us where we are. While it can communicate it has made it clear it will only communicate again with us when it tires of waiting and is about to kill us or we do, somehow, come across the right quotation." Spock looked at McCoy and at Kirk.

Kirk looked at McCoy and nodded. They both had always found there was something strangely reassuring about his steady yet also oddly annoying. It was that acceptance of things as they were, not as they appeared to be. It was Spock's ability to be so direct, to state the facts with no embellishments, that he had relied on so often, that he had always counted on.

"Keptin," the young navigator turned and faced Kirk.

"Now just now, Pavel." McCoy had almost snapped. "I do not know about the others but I have had enough Russian sayings."

"No, Bones. I agree that we may have had enough sayings, in a few cases more than enough sayings, from other places but go ahead, Chekov."

"Vat it said. It said about agreeing and not arguing."

"That is right."

"There is a Russian saying,"

"I warned you," McCoy looked at Kirk and rolled his eyes.

"It is one my grandmother used to say to me. A mere friend vill almost always agree with you but a real friend vill argue with you if they believe that you are wrong."

"Well," McCoy shook his head, "That is better than that one about little thieves being handed while great thieves escape."

"I believe Mister Chekov is correct, Captain." Spock looked at Kirk. "If you recall in the short communications we did have with this entity it did state that it was up to us to agree or argue about the worth of each quotation. On all the quotations and sayings we have offered to it we have agreed. On this one we have a disagreement, almost an argument."

Kirk looked at this two friends then at the faces of those on the bridge. They had been there when all the other saying and quotes had been send and he saw a nod from each of them. They knew, as he did, that they had about run out of saying as they had had to rely just on those known by the crew.

"Okay, Spock send it."

"This is the Enterprise. We believe you may be interested in the old saying from Earth's Russia, 'A mere friend will almost always agree with you but a real friend will argue with you if they believe that you are wrong.'"

As usual there was no response. For a moment Kirk, McCoy and Spock exchanged a look of near despair.

Then that voice filling the bridge, "Thank you for all the new sayings and quotes. It has taken me this long to find the one to free my kind." before all the panels around the bridge came to life, Uhura reported reports for all decks stating things had returned to normal, and the forward screen showed they were moving again.

After several minutes of standing at his viewer, entering data into his computer Spock turned to Kirk, "It did not register on any frequency as any life form or, in fact, any form of energy, and yet we know it exists. Fascinating."

"Maybe to you it is fascinating, but it should not be surprising as that thing did not register before it stopped us."

"It is the fact that something that did not register yet could do what it did is what is fascinating, Doctor. If you,"

"Okay, that proves it," Kirk smiled.

"Proves what, Jim?"

"You two, arguing." he looked at both Spock and McCoy and smiled broadly as he waved his right index finger back and forth at both of them, "You must be real friends as you do argue a great deal when you think you are right."


	11. Chapter 11

"Possibilities, Captain. There are always possibilities."

"How can you say that, Spock? You heard what their leader said. You heard,"

Spock moved two steps closer to his Captain and friend, fully aware of how totally helpless he felt with McCoy and Mister Scott being held against their will. He had to get Jim to calm down, to think, to not let his emotions cloud his brilliant mind. "I head what was said, Jim. I also heard what was **not said**."

Kirk looked into two dark eyes. He saw his reflection but he also saw beyond that. There had been something not said. Spock had, like all the others, heard the president say that they were keeping McCoy and Scotty not for what they had done but for what they could do. What was even worse was that the Federation envoy agreed that their skills were needed on the planet.

"We can't go against the Federation, Spock. This planet is too valuable to maintaining the border. You know that I have orders to do what needs to be done; to give what help is asked for."

"Do you believe Mister Scott and Doctor McCoy will want to stay there?"

"Of course not but they know what is at stake, they know our orders."

"And you and I both know how those two, when it has just been them, have often created somewhat original ways to show that there are ways, not necessarily the breaking of rules and regulations, but different ways of interpreting them."

Kirk looked at his friend. To most who looked at Spock he seemed total Vulcan and Kirk knew he was proud of his Vulcan heritage but when he looked at him he saw his friend, a person of logic but also with an imagination that required that logic to control. He could see the respect Spock had for McCoy and Scotty and there was something else, something Kirk could not quite place.

"Yes, but this time they have a Federation representative watching them. I highly doubt if they would try anything with him there."

"Perhaps you are correct, Jim. You know and understand the Human psyche better than I but from what I have observed of the two of them together over the years I do not believe there is much that could stop them from trying something if they decided to."

Kirk nodded, and tried to smile. "Yeah, they are a great pair together but we are talking about a Federation representative."

"From what I observed of the man on our trip he does have a very human aspect under that formal exterior. He is half human and half Baranian so he does have some control over his human emotions, but they are there. There is a possibility there that should McCoy and Mister Scott somehow create one of their more unusual ruses they would return to the ship."

"Spock, I know what you are trying to do and I appreciate it but I have to accept the facts that what both the Federation representative and president have said and acknowledge it as fact. Now, what is the ship's status?"

Spock knew such a change was Kirk's way of not dealing at that time with the situation, a situation neither of them could change. It was difficult for him to explain it to Kirk, hard enough to even acknowledge it to himself, but there was a niggling sense that McCoy and Mister Scott would find a way but he could not conceive of any way they could. Too many times over the years he had seen them work together on some problem and come up with a highly illogical answer that, in most cases, had succeeded in solving the problem. He had to admit, if only to himself, that he was allowing that human part of himself to believe in luck and the cunning of the two men. No, he had to trust the creative ingenuity of his two friends.

"All stations except one report being ready for departure, Captain."

"What station is not prepared? Get me the officer in charge of that station."

Spock moved to stand before Kirk, "I am not ready, Captain. I will need approximately," he momentarily paused and calculated time factors and possibilities, "four point five three standard hours, Sir."

Kirk looked at his Science Officer and friend, saw that he was asking for more time for his belief in those two still on the planet. Everything he had been trained to do was telling him to leave yet before him was the one being he trusted more than any other and that being was asking for four point five three more hours. As Kirk looked at the silent figure before him he realized that the request was not based on standard protocol but based on an almost human belief in friends.

"You have your four point five three hours."

"Thank you, Captain."

Kirk notified the terminal on the planet of an unexpected delay and that they would leave in four point five three standard hours.

There had been nothing for four hours then a message came through that two officers were to be beamed aboard and that medical assistance would be required. Kirk looked at Spock and saw the slight nod. In one fluid movement he stood and headed for the turbolift, "Sulu, take the conn, Spock, with me." Once in the turbolift Kirk looked at Spock, "What?"

"My hypothesis is that it is the two officers we both are thinking about and that the non-medical officer is in need of detoxification due to an over consumption of intoxicating local liquids."

"You mean you think Scotty is drunk?"

"I believe that is what I said, Jim."

They entered the Transporter Room just as the two figures materialized and one collapsed to the floor and was violently sick. McCoy looked at Kirk, "Well, don't just be standing there, help me get him to Sickbay."

"He has no other injuries apart from acute intoxication, Doctor?"

"No, isn't that enough?"

"I asked," Spock stepped forward, pulled Scotty from the floor, wrapped an arm around him and bore the man's full weight before heading to the door, "as I did not want to injure him further."

As McCoy flushed the bulk of the alcohol from Scotty's system, finishing with forcing a powdery substance down a dry tube and into the man's stomach, he looked at Kirk, "He'll be fine now. It was his idea to bet that he could out-drink anybody there and that if he could we returned and left with the ship. You should have been gone hours ago. How did you know we were trying to find a way off that place?"

"Spock had a," Kirk glanced at his Science Officer, "a problem at his station and we could not leave. How long now to effect repairs?"

"I will just make another check of the system and advise you when you return to the bridge, Captain. If you gentlemen will excuse me."

When Spock had gone McCoy looked at Kirk, "Why that green-blooded," then stopped as what had just been said dawned on him. "He lied, didn't he? Lied about a problem at the Science Station?"

"No, Bones. He had a problem."

McCoy looked at his Captain and friend, "He had a problem? Since when does Spock have problems at the Science Station that take so long?"

"Since the problem was not with the station itself."

Not with the station itself. McCoy looked at Kirk as the truth became clear. Jim would have needed a reason to remain. The powers that be might have been suspicious had any other department said they had problems but not from a Vulcan. It was known that Vulcans not only do not have feelings but also that Vulcans do not lie. Suddenly McCoy started to smile.

"What is it, Bones?"

"Just remembering how I have sometimes thought of him as some overgrown elf at times and words to something I read as a child came back to me about how all the world is made of faith, trust, and pixie dust. He had faith in us, trusted us, and actually let that human in him believe in luck, didn't he?"

"Isn't that a problem for him, Bones?"


	12. Chapter 12

Over the past eight days there had been a marginal improvement in First Officer Spock's condition and Doctor McCoy put it down to the six of the command crew taking turns to be with him, to protect him from them.

Captain James Kirk walked into the special room his First Officer was in and saw McCoy just sitting by the bed with his hand beside that of the First Officer. As he looked at his two friends like that he remembered their last conversation in this room "Bones, they are among Starfleet's best medical people. This is the best medical facility. This is,"

"This is an advanced medical facility because they use patients like Spock to learn from. You heard them, none had ever had a Vulcan patient before much less a half-Human Vulcan and I will not describe the barbaric tests they were doing to and on him before I was allowed to care for him."

"Allowed? Bones, you, you threatened to not just expose what they were doing but also to, and I quote, 'Give those in charge of the running of the facility photon torpedo like enemas if my patient is put under any further duress.'"

"You hear to tell me how long before you desert him, before you leave him to this pack of vultures? You here because I demanded to stay with him?"

McCoy had not been to only one to say they wanted to stay with Spock but he had been the most vocal. Every time he had come he had seen one of them sitting as McCoy was, just watching the sleeping Vulcan with their hand next to his. Never touching but always there. They had all been so certain that there was awareness in the depths of the dark eyes when Spock would have a brief session of consciousness. They all attested to the fact that it seemed Spock relaxed more with them there.

Slowly Kirk sat down on the other side of the bed, aware that, as soon as he took a long-fingered hand in his, dark eyes opened and looked at him. He was also aware of a blue pair of eyes watching him. All the experts told him that there was no recognition, no response, no mental activity present in the patient but McCoy had told him, the others hand told him, and he knew there was. They had even had a Vulcan healer come who had said Spock was too trapped in his mind for him to help, that there was too much confusion between that which was Vulcan and that which was Human for the healer to break through. The Vulcan healer said that he had no memory and was not likely to have one, that it seemed what had been done to his mind meant he never would remember. Spock had only started to relax, to show any sign of awareness when it was one of the six of them. His medical records showed that there was a minimal improvement in his condition since the six of them had established a roster so that one of them was always with him.

"We're taking him back to the Enterprise, Bones." It was a whisper but to McCoy it was a shout heard across the galaxies. "We're going to take him back to the Enterprise."

As McCoy looked at Kirk he saw it. There was that thousand mile stare of determination about the man's eyes. He had meant what he said, they were going to take Spock back, not that Spock had been discharged to their care, but they were going to take him back.

"Mind telling me just how we are going to do that?"

"They are working out the finer points as we speak. We have to ship out in three hours and we are not leaving him behind."

"You do realize that they have equipment here that would help Spock," McCoy stopped as he saw it, that slightly up-turned corner of Kirk's mouth. "What?"

"You do not think that Scotty has not been down here, seen what is here, listened to the doctors talking and sort of borrowed a few things. All signed for and approved." There was still that look and McCoy knew what he meant.

"Mind telling me what he put done as required?"

Kirk handed McCoy his electronic pad and watched as a broad smile possessed his friend's face as he read the requisition. "He broke the equipment down to its components. Just looking at that only somebody very familiar with them or engineering would know." McCoy looked at Kirk, "And you wondered about the still he had and how he got the parts."

For a moment there was silence then McCoy looked at Kirk, "You and the others do realize that by removing him from here you are,"

"We all discussed it, Bones. He is coming with us."

"When? How?"

"For now, Bones, it is best you do not know. We will get him when you are on the Enterprise."

"Oh no, that way the powers that be could think I was not involved as I know the risks."

"Bones, we need you on the ship to get him settled as no doubt moving him will be a bit rushed and trying on him. He will need your help there. We will get him aboard and leave."

McCoy nodded. He would be needed on the ship as he would have to get a special bed set up for Spock, check on the equipment Scotty had procured through rather devious means, and by leaving as soon as he was aboard Starfleet would have to have a damned good case to get him off the ship as then there would be over four hundred officers to confront and answer to.

Briefly Kirk took the long fingered hand in his and looked at his friend, "I'm, we're going to get you back, Spock. Back to the ship and back to you. Just relax. McCoy will be here for a bit longer then one of the bridge crew. You just," the eyes looking at him showed full recognition and Kirk quickly looked at McCoy and saw he had noticed as well.

There was a slight movement of the fingers in his hand, as though attempting to grip his hand, "Jim." it was almost a sigh but Kirk and McCoy heard it. The first word the Vulcan had said since that gaseous creature had enveloped those on the bridge, trying to access their minds and when Spock returned to the bridge after having gone to Engineering he had clearly immediately challenged it with his statement, "My mind for theirs." For four point two minutes the thing and enveloped Spock and changed many colors while his face reflected to torture he was silent enduring. When it left Spock lay in a tight fetal position on the floor, totally oblivious to all around him.

Kirk squeezed the hand and held it to his face, "We'll get you back to then Enterprise then help you get back, Spock. You just rest." Another slight move of the fingers and the eyes moved to look at McCoy

McCoy had been so startled by what he had seen that it took him a moment to register that a hand was resting on his, "McCoy." Quickly McCoy placed his other hand on top of Spock's and nodded. "You just rest, Spock. I'll be right here while the others get the bed ready for you. You just rest."

Kirk had gone back to the ship and one hour after he had gone Chekov arrived with Uhura who had said, "You are needed on the ship, Doctor."

McCoy was not too sure exactly what happened next for as soon as he stepped off the Transporter Sulu stepped on and, as Scotty beamed him down the Engineer looked at him and said, "Ye bet be getting to Sickbay. I've got a patient coming aboard for ye."

Just about every piece of equipment he could want or need for treating Spock was in Sickbay. He knew one day he would have to ask the Chief Engineer how he knew what was needed, but for now he was only too pleased to see it and that it all worked.

McCoy was just triple checking everything when Chekov and Sulu, both soaked, ran in supporting a very wet First Officer between them. As they helped put the Vulcan on a plastic sheet that McCoy had quickly placed over the bed, Sulu said, "I told you we only had to let of one alarm."

"But I vas right. They vere confused with three going off at the same time. They vere not aware of us."

"And Uhura cutting into their system and sending them misleading information got us extra time."

McCoy shook his head. Much as he often wondered about the odd group he knew that they were a team, a unit, hell, they were a family.

By the time Kirk had the Enterprise well into open space McCoy had Spock settled into his new bed and temporary home. Kirk arrived to find them all there, around the bed and knew that this was what he had seen down there only this was better, this was home. He saw the dark eyes open and look at them. Really look at each one of them. Saw him try to reach out to him so he walked forward and took the hand in his.

"Jim. On ship?"

"Yes, Spock."

The eyes again looked at each of the others.

"McCoy."

"Yes, Spock."

"Uhura."

"Yes, Mister Spock."

"Chekov."

"Yes, Mister Spock."

"Sulu."

"Yes, Mister Spock."

The Vulcan looked at the Chief Engineer, "Tee," then closed his eye, "No, No," He opened his eyes again a looked at the Chief Engineer again and gave a very faint smile that only those who really knew him would have noticed, "Scotty."

"Aye, lad. Tis grand to have ye back, Mister Spock."

Kirk looked at McCoy as the doctor said, "Okay, right now Spock needs a bit of rest while he gets used to this area. Back to work all of you. Shoo, shoo."

After everybody had left and McCoy was adjusting the sheet over him, Spock again laid his hand on McCoy's and McCoy saw the Vulcan looking at him, "Family not by blood by choice."

McCoy patted the hand, "Family. Now sleep. I'll be right here."


	13. Chapter 13

Nyota Uhura had sat alone in her quarters while most of the bridge crew and her other friends were having shore leave on Starbase Nine. Four days ago Doctor McCoy had quarantined her to her quarters as she had a very virulent form of influenza which meant until she was no longer considered contagious she was to stay in her quarters.

Two weeks ago she had been part of the landing party on Madtonde, the latest planet to join the Federation and she had tried some of the traditional food and she had also gone for a swim in a lake with a few other crewmembers. All eleven of those who went swimming had contracted what Doctor McCoy put down as a virulent form of influenza. They had all been sent to their quarters till given the all clear by him.

She had longed to get off the ship on Starbase Nine as they had some shops she enjoyed going into. She almost always found something new in music and got some new civilian clothes, and there was that small shop that had totally decadent deserts.

It had been the second day after they left Starbase Nine that Doctor McCoy had cleared her to leave her quarters but wanted her to report to Sickbay. She muttered to herself about being cleared to leave her quarters but having to go to Sickbay to make it official or something about procedure.

"My office, Uhura." McCoy had met her and taken her into his office. There the others were, except Mister Spock, and on McCoy's desk were little gifts for her. Some she knew almost immediately who had purchased them and knew that while it was a nice thought the item was not something she would have purchased. There were small snacks and drinks; it was a small party so she was not surprised that Mister Spock was not there. It also had not surprised her that there was nothing from him as he was not one who was brought up to understand the ritual of gift giving and receiving.

She thanked everybody for their gifts, hugged them as they were her family. A strange family but she thought of them as family. It was clear they had remembered her, had thought of her when they were on Starbase Nine but the gifts reflected how they only seemed to see a part of her, a small part. Despite all the time they spent together and all the conversations they had they still did not seem to know her, did not seem to know what her likes and tastes were.

They all said they looked forward to her being back on the bridge at the next shift and she agreed, thanking them again for the gifts, and left with a small box of gifts. When she returned to her quarters she found a message on her terminal from Mister Spock asking her to report to his quarters regarding her last report on the Communications System.

For a moment anger flared in her. **How dare he** expect her to remember her last report? It was written when she was coming down with that, that whatever it was. She had just put in a standard report. What more did he want? But then she remembered that she was judging him on a Human level. There was no doubt he was the best First Officer and Science Officer in the Fleet because of not having all the emotional baggage the rest of them had, the way he could focus on the smallest of details.

She thought for a moment of putting on her uniform but decided not to, she was not on duty and was feeling a bit depressed. She was prepared to explain to him why she was out of uniform if he asked. There were times when he was accepting of such things and other times when he was exacting.

Outside the door to his quarters she paused and forgot for a moment that he would not have locked his door as he would have expected her. He was seated at his desk and stood as she entered, "Lieutenant." She could not tell from how calmly he had spoken if he was annoyed by her casual attire.

"Mister Spock I am not in uniform because," she stopped when he raised an eyebrow.

"Am I correct in understanding that you wrote your report upon your return to the ship from being on a landing party at Madtonde?"

"Yes, Sir."

"That explains the errors. I trust when you feel better you will amend those errors."

A sense of relief replaced her certainty that he would want reasons for errors.

"Of course, Sir."

"Do you not agree that at such times as this you can call me Spock instead of Sir?"

"Yes, if you do not object."

"I would not have said so if I did object." He looked at her, "I wonder if I might ask something of a somewhat personal nature of you."

"Of course." she had said it before she thought about it as she had always felt she could somehow trust him with anything personal.

"I am aware of your inclination to purchase new clothing at Starbase Nine in the past. On my bed there are four items of clothing I saw while on Starbase Nine that I thought might be of interest to you. There is also a collection of accessories I believe complimented them. Would you mind seeing if they fit you and if you like them? I will leave my quarter for fifteen standard minutes while you assess them."

For a moment after he had left she stood still then walked into his sleeping alcove and save the outfits and was stunned. They were beautiful. All four of them fitted her and she felt good in them and could not believe how flattering they were when she looked in the mirror. When Spock walked back in she was still in the last outfit. If he asked her to pick one she knew which one it would be.

"Were they suitable?"

"More than suitable. The one I would like to buy is,"

"I believe you misunderstood me, Miss Uhura. I knew you were unable to be off the ship and knew that we will not, unless there is some unforeseen emergency, not be back at Starbase Nine for at least one hundred and twelve standard days. I also know of your preferring to be in civilian clothing when in your quarters or at a party where civilian attire is permitted. I knew the others were buying you things, gifts, they believed you would like and it seemed logical to me to get you what you seem to like. They are for you."

Everything just stopped for a moment as she looked at him. Of all the crew he was the one to notice what she wore in the way of civilian clothing. "I, I,"

He bend and, from under his desk, pulled out a small insulated box, "If memory serves, this is what you usually consume while there."

Almost afraid to open the box she looked at him. All the time she had thought of him as just noticing what the Captain and Doctor McCoy liked but he had been aware of her, and most likely, the others. That encyclopedic memory of his must have so many facts about them stored away. Carefully she lifted the lid then looked at him. It was the desert she always had. A single large serving of it. She knew the insulated container would have kept it fresh.

"I would highly recommend you have that today. It has been two days and although the container should have kept it from losing much in the way of taste or texture I am sure it is best to have it as fresh as possible. I thought it would get rid of the taste of the food Doctor McCoy no doubt has had you eating."

"Mister Spock, I, I do not know what to say."

"Then say nothing, Miss Uhura. Take these to your quarters, enjoy them, and," he looked at her, "correct the errors in your report before your next shift."

That was it. To Spock it was over with, it was the logical thing to him. He clearly did not see his actions as special. He had had her come to his quarters so she could try on the clothing in private, so that she could take her time trying on the outfits. She wanted to say something to let him know how special he had made her feel. How she often felt like just a piece of the ship, felt like just an extension of the console.

For just a moment she hesitated then, remembering what she had heard so often as a child about the shortest distance between friends, walked up to him and hugged him close, and gave him a quick kiss, "Thank you, my friend."

As she finished the last morsel of the desert she looked around her quarters and realized that while she had been alone she was not really alone: she was in the minds and hearts of others.


	14. Chapter 14

Montgomery Scott stood looking at the empty transporter platform. Did any of them knew what it was really like for him? Did any of them appreciate it what it was like to be there, to wait and now know who or what he would be beaming up? Did any of them realize how helpless he felt at times?

Times like this. He had no idea what had happened down on the planet; that was not new. Captain Kirk had ordered an emergency beam up and he had had to tell him how the ionic storm had caused major problems with the transporter and he could only beam up three of them at a time: that also was not new. He had managed to get the Captain, Doctor McCoy, and Lieutenant Uhura safely up, but had lost Spock's signal.

"Scotty?", there was the edge to Kirk's voice that was both a demand of action and a question but the engineer initially ignored him as he removed the panel and exposed an array of wires and circuitry he was more than familiar with.

"I do nae know at the moment, Sir. It looks as it should but tis something wrong."

"How long?"

"I canna say, Sir. Like I said, it looks as it should but its wrong."

The engineer could tell from how McCoy and Uhuar had left but the Captain had stayed that there was some urgency. He was aware of how quickly time was passing and how those who had been hunting the landing party could soon be upon the First Officer. Too many times Mister Spock had been the last to leave, times when he had insisted that he himself go before him. This time he could not fail the man who had, as long as he could remember, never failed others.

Then he saw it, the three fused masses of wires and resisters to do with the reset mechanisms. It would take hours to repair the damage. Hours they did not have.

From the corner of his eye he could see Captain Kirk, just sanding looking at the platform as though somehow the First Officer would find a way to beam himself up. Just about the entire crew knew how close the Captain was to the First Officer and he did not want to think what telling him he needed hours to repair the damage that ion storm had caused.

That uncanny sense that man seemed to have made him turn and look at him and in that look Montgomery Scott saw a man in a mental hell. It was clear that the Captain knew it was possible Mister Spock was already dead. There was too much pain there. Pain like none he had seen before on the man's face.

In that moment of all moments he heard something that had been said to him as a lad by his grandfather. So clearly he heard the Glaswegian accent and the way it was said to him whenever they worked on projects together. Suddenly it seemed the only thing he had not tried, the only thing he could try. So often then it had seemed to work although it was against all good engineering practices. He reached out and picked up a tool. After a moment he saw indications that he had one chance and one change only of getting the Vulcan.

Quickly he got behind the controls, reached forward, said a silent prayer, and activated the levers.

"Captain." Spock seemed unharmed and his usual self as he stepped forward after acknowledging the Captain, "There was a considerable delay between beaming up crew, Mister Scott. Have you experienced some difficulty?"

"Aye, and I've a bit of work ta do on the circuits. That ion storm fused several points that should not have been fused."

An eyebrow arched, "May I ask how you were able to so promptly were able to rectify a situation as time-consuming as rewiring such circuitry would be?"

Knowing what an orderly and logical man the First Officer was Scott was unsure what to say but knew the truth, especially with Mister Spock, was always the best thing, "As much as I dinna like to give the Irish credit one known as Murphy said that if all you have is a hammer then everything else is a nail so I just hit the blighter and it gave me the wee bit I needed."

For a moment the man was quiet then looked directly at the engineer, "I understand that there was at first a read conflict between old Earth's Scotland and Ireland but that that mellowed over the generations into a friendly verbal sparing." The engineer noticed just the hint of a smile about the man's eyes that only years of having worked with him had taught him to look for, "Mister Scott, while I am grateful that you remembered what the Irish said I must say that I find it is, by far, more illogical than most of your answers to mechanical problems."

As the Captain and First Officer left the Scotsman silently said, to himself, "Scotland one, Ireland zero." then smiled as he once again got to work on the fused wiring.


	15. Chapter 15

Long hours spent with some of his patients was part of what most said made Doctor Leonard McCoy Starfleet's best onboard Chief Medical Officer but the man himself had long thought it part of the role of any doctor and that he was nothing special.

It was nights like this when he knew he spent more time than most with his patients, even when the patient was on the road to full recovery. He remembered being told that he was too protective, too involved with his patients, by the senior medical officers at Command but they were no longer on ships, they had forgotten what human touch meant to those in pain and in Sickbay. They had forgotten what it was like to be the one holding the hand of an officer as they died

Memories of his father, when he had said he also wanted to be a doctor, looking at him and saying,_ "There's an old saying you should remember, son. The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease. Just you remember that and remember that it is not so much amusing the patient as being there with and for them. Remember that." _.

As had happened too many times before, James Kirk was in Sickbay. One of his two regulars, the other had come in with him, had refused to leave till he knew the Captain was going to be fine, then left. No doubt that blasted Vulcan would tell Jim that he had taken appropriate action after sending down what had been agreed would be given for their return.

A smile crossed McCoy's face. Yes, Scotty had all the things that those who had held both senior officers demanded for their return. It had been his decision to give them what they demanded. What both he and Spock would have to explain to Jim Kirk was that the goods sent as ransom were useless.

McCoy remembered how furious Spock had been when they had beamed up and seen Mister Scott., "Mister Scott, **you will report to me** in Sickbay when Doctor McCoy notifies you I am, as I have told him, fully able to resume command."

Scotty had come in and almost immediately the atmosphere in the Sickbay seemed to change. Before either man said anything Scotty handed him a piece of equipment and just looked at him as the Vulcan looked at the metal in his hands.

"This is what you sent them?"

"That is what they asked for, Sir."

"This is inoperative. They will not be aware of that," the Vulcan looked at the engineer and McCoy saw a nod and noticed how the tension that had filled the room was gone, "until they try to use it.""Aye, they were what they asked for. They nay said a word about them having to work now did they? Those were removed twenty-eight days ago when we did a small refit."

"Mister Scott I must apologize for," McCoy had noticed the change in the Vulcan's voice.

"For nothing, ye were concerned about Captain Kirk. Tis understandable but I can see McCoy has him on the mend. Now, if ye no longer need me, I must write a report on the exchange. And, ye nay mind me saying, Sir, ye look in the need for a nap." Scotty had kept looking at Spock. "I will tend to business while ye had a nap then write my report."

McCoy had thought of raising the fact that Spock looked like he needed some sleep but knew what the Science Officer would say about Vulcans not needing sleep the way Humand did.

"I do not require a nap, Mister Scott," McCoy had tried not to smile as Spock said what he usually started with before stating about Vulcans, "but I will go to my quarters and meditate for two hours so tt I may give a correct and concise report as to the events on the planet. Thank you for your office to tend to business."

After the Engineer had left Spock looked at him and McCoy caught the hint of a smile about the man's face, "He is correct, Doctor, you do have Jim on the mend. I will return in three hours after I have medicated and checked the situation on the bridge and stay with him while you get some sleep."

Just for a moment McCoy had the urge to ask who the doctor was but just the thought of that word silenced him. Sleep. He had not slept for the thirty-seven hours that his two friends had been held as pawns. He knew in that time his imagination had thought of all that could have been done to them. It was evident that they had, as the officers who had been beamed back up with the terms of their exchange had said, not been seriously injured although they had both been incapacitated and roughly handled. Obviously that very perceptive Vulcan had seen his need for sleep. Spock still looked at him and raised an eyebrow when he looked at him, "Thanks, Spock." He knew that his Vulcan friend understood what was not said.

He looked at Jim Kirk as he slept. There was no doubt in his mind that Spock would tell him what he needed to know, that he would also ensure that no action was taken against Scotty's actions. As he looked at Kirk he smiled, Spock would point out that Scotty's actions were not against any regulations and were highly logical.


	16. Chapter 16

Keeping control of himself on the bridge was part of him. He was well-known for showing no emotion to those who confronted him on the bridge. Even as he watched that blue light illuminate the shuttle as it smothered his best friend and First Officer Kirk had shown no emotion. He had calmly faced down that creature, that being who had captained the alien ship.

"You and I are of a kind, Captain Kirk. We do not form attachments with our crew and they know what is expected of them. From what I had heard about you I did not believe you would sacrifice one of your own. You were willing to see if I could be trusted as you clearly know you could not have neutralized our ship and that had you not sent out your second in command we would have destroyed you for violating our border that we know is known by your Starfleet and your Federation."

"May we retrieve the shuttle?"

"No. Shortly we will escort you to Federation Space and you will tell others to stay out of this sector. A dead shuttle will remain there in our territory as a warning and a reminder to others. We will contact you when we are ready to commence escort duties."

He had sat still for a moment after the screen went blank then got up, "Sulu, take the con. I will be back shortly."

As he went to leave the bridge he saw McCoy start to follow him and there must have been something in the way he looked at the man that made McCoy stay where he was, then turn to look at that shuttle craft.

They had been sent out to explore this sector as ships had vanished. Starfleet had received only rather cryptic messages from the captains of those ships but each had made it clear to stay clear of this sector. Kirk now realized that as long as Starfleet stayed clear on what had been, decades before, sent to Starfleet as a map clearly showing a demarcation line ships would not be interfered with. He had endangered his ship and crew by seeing if that still held true. Two fleet ships had been assisted before, but they had lost power and been drifting but were told given the charts showing this sector and the area that was not to be entered. Kirk had been sure enough time had passed that he could enter and find out why. It was their mission. To seek out new life forms and civilizations.

His determination to be the one to get access into that area, to find out why ships were not allowed in that area had cost the life of his best friend. Spock had warned him it was unwise, had reminded him that they were to respect the rights of other civilizations and that they, Starfleet, had been told this was an area not to enter. When he had asked Spock if he wasn't interested in finding out why his Vulcan friend said that it was fascinating that a civilization so far away from others would wish to remain undisturbed but, from the scan of the ship that had confronted them, it was obvious that they were more advanced technologically than the Federation. When he had been told to send a senior in a shuttle craft or have his ship destroyed and crew killed Spock had stepped forward and told the being he would go. Spock had not given him the chance to argue.

Kirk realized he had lost track of time as he had slowly accepted that it had been his fault that Spock had died. It was his fault and yet it had been Spock's choice. Spock had just looked at him and nodded. No final good-bye, just the nod of acceptance.

Slowly he pulled himself back. He had a ship to take care of, a crew to reassure, and he knew the bridge crew would need to know why. He would have to admit to his failure. He would have to face the consequences of his actions from them and Starfleet. No matter what any others said or did to him would ease the guilt he would bare the rest of his life of knowing he caused Spock's death. He had caused the death of his closest friend.

"Captain Kirk, we are receiving a message from the alien ship. Do you want to come,"

"Rout it here, Lieutenant."

"Routing."

"Captain Kirk we were informed you were resting. Such faith and trust in your crew is what we had heard about you. From what we have witnessed from your crew we fully understand why you and your crew have the reputation you have. Such dedication and loyalty is what all captains seek but few really find. To ensure that you knew nothing of their action shows has shown us that you are highly respected. Perhaps your kind will be ready to meet us in another five of your decades. We have scanned your ship and have ensured your engines will see you safely to your next Federation planet or Starfleet Starbase, whichever you choose. I leave you with this recording of your officer's address to us, true reflection of their loyalty to you and to their fellow officers, something we had not really expected to witness when a commanding officer is not present. Safe and exciting journeys, Captain Kirk."

He was only just processing what had been said when he heard Sulu's voice, "This is Acting Captain Sulu and the starship Enterprise to the crew of the alien ship that just attacked our shuttle craft. While you said you could not have the shuttlecraft back we are sending out a small craft to bring back our fellow officer."

The alien said, "A dead body is not worth the risk."

"Right now nothing, nothing is worth more than this day, this action, and that man. I see it not as a risk but if you make it a risk it is a risk I am, we are, willing to accept and confront. Sulu, Enterprise, out."

For a moment Kirk sat stunned. Despite his orders Sulu had gone out.

Managing to control his annoyance he went up to the bridge and saw Scotty, Sulu, Uhura, and Chekov looked at him and all stood. "Sit down if you were not a part of what Sulu did."

None of them sat and he looked at each one carefully, finally concentrating on Chekov who spoke first, "Keptin, I took command."

"Aye, and I told the lad how to dock with and enter the shuttle."

"I kept all communication to just the bridge."

"I took the scout shuttle without authorization and passed command to Chekov."

As he looked at them he nodded. They had kept it from him to protect him while they retrieved Spock's body. At least McCoy was not a part of it. Looking at Sulu Kirk had a feeling he had to confirm that, "Just tell me McCoy had nothing to do with this."

"He was preparing Sickbay to do an,"

Kirk heard the turbolift doors open and heard, "After that look you gave me I thought it best to get back to where I might be needed. I know this crew as well as you do, Jim. There was no doubt that they were going to go out there and I think at your core you knew it."

The blue eyes looked at him. "They did not want you involved or to know about it so that if something went wrong you were clearly not involved."

Kirk felt his control slipping and he flared, "**Wasn't it enough that I let Spock go to his death**?"

"They wanted you to believe I was dead, Captain." Kirk turned as he heard a welcome baritone voice come from the turbolift when it opened again. Spock looked at him, "I was told that if my fellow officers valued me they would come for me despite all risks. I had enough air for another twenty-one point seven six hours. It was a rather fascinating experience. All system went dead. Yet further proof of how much more advanced their technology is to our own." Spock then looked at each of the others, nodding at each one, one by one. "I am honored that you came for me."

Kirk was aware of the others watching him as he walked up to Spock, "I did not give you permission to leave and take that risk."

"You would have denied and they would have destroyed the ship."

As the others watched their captain and First Officer look at one another they knew that a private conversation was going on that they would not be a part of but had an idea it was about their special relationship. When Kirk finally looked around he saw the others all suddenly going to their station and trying to look as though they had not noticed how long he and Spock had looked at and into one another.

Sulu stood back from the command chair, "As always, Captain, the ship is yours."

Kirk nodded his thanks as he sat down. This had confirmed what he had always thought, one day Sulu would make one great captain of his own ship.

* * *

A/n **Arrrrrrggggggghhhhhh**! Just because one is single, experienced, and made the mistake of saying they would fill-in if necessary does not mean that person should get called in as a first responder over a stormy long holiday weekend. May get the rest of the Z – A bits done this week if I am not called back on to either caregiver role or relieving first responder. Then some actual stories as still have plenty of them to retype while getting spring planting done. . . . Enjoy and happy Halloween to all.


	17. Chapter 17

Just for a moment Spock thought he had eluded those who were pursuing him. The five who had beamed down had been set upon almost as soon as the beam had released them. The two security guards were protecting the Captain and he and Officer Sulu had been forced to flee and leave them. Somewhere along the chase he had lost track of Sulu. They had been sent here to contact the planet leader who had asked for their help to put down an uprising and restore normality. Those chasing them were clearly part of the uprising.

As he had looked around he realized the dwellings were now not like those of where they had beamed down, they were clearly residential and poorly maintained. He had long enough to assess his situation; he had no weapon, no form of communication. From what he had heard of those chasing him they were xenophobic which made his present situation less appealing. In the distance he heard an explosion. Saw more of the populace come out of building and start running towards the sound. More angry voices.

Then they were on him. Pains from left his arm and right leg let him know that they were broken even as he fell and was he unceremoniously dragged by his right arm. Fury, anger and hatred burned down his arm from the hands that gripped his arm. He had no way to protect himself from the kicks, being spat upon, and hearing the most derogatory things he was being called. Dimly he was aware of being dragged into a building and up onto a platform. The kicking continued along with the verbal abuse. They were clearly attacking him for being different as well as for assuming he was to do with the governing body.

He lay on his back and saw a booted foot start to come down then heard a yelp of pain and a man collapse grabbing a leg with a knife sticking from it.

"The next person who moves toward or against my friend will find a knife in their throat."

Sulu. The helmsman appeared in the crowd and walked onto the stage, momentarily looked down at him and Spock saw a flash of rage on the man's face before he gave one short nod and looked back at the crowd.

Four men rushed on stage. Just for a moment Spock was sure they would attack Sulu but they stopped and stood around him, facing the mob. "They are with us. This one," the speaker pointed at Sulu, "Just stopped the government troops from blowing up the school with our children in it. He blew up the control container. They are Starfleet but they are not the enemy. Another in a gold shirt was with the government watchers and it was clear he disapproved of what was being done."

When Sulu briefly looked down Spock could see he realized he had broken the Prime Directive in that he had interfered with local government. Still looking down at him Sulu said, "My friend needs a quiet place to rest and some aid."

"But he is different. He is not like us."

"Look at the person next to you. Are they like you? Their height, weight, hair color, eye color, body shape, and build is different from your own so that makes them different. They also are not like you and yet you help them. Some of the ones around you, all of them so different from you, are your friends. He is different from me yet he is my friend."

A woman and man slowly walked forward, "We are not allowed to train as doctors or nurses as we are, by government standards, fit only to be workers, but we have some medical. We will tend to his wounds. Gonlor, go fetch the kit from our house. Hanfer, bring some fresh hot water. Woplor, use those tables to make a screen for him to have some privacy."

Sulu briefly looked down at him and nodded and while he say the man was more relaxed he also noticed that the young helmsman still held four knives in his hand. It had been obvious from when he had first walked into the stage and stood over him that he would kill anybody who threatened them. Still in a command mode that Spock noted suited him, Sulu looked back out at the gathering. "You said there was one in a gold shirt with the government watchers who seemed to disapprove of what was being done."

"Yes, gold shirt and from his stance a man of power and he clearly disapproved. Do you know of him?"

"Yes." There was a decidedly disapproving murmur then Sulu quietly said, "He is," and the murmuring stopped as those there strained to hear him. In his normal voice Sulu said, "He is my commanding officer. We were sent here to help settle a dispute."

"A dispute? They call it a dispute? It is just the majority wanting their share of what they help this planet earn. We are the workers, we are the ones who produce, who work in factories and on farms making things and growing things that they sell and make five to eight times what we get paid. We are seventy-eight point two five percent of the population and yet they say they represent us. They do not educate us more than they think we need, they do not share the wealth with us. They ensure that visitors to the planet do not see this side of our society."

"What caused what they can an uprising?"

"We have had enough. We finally got three of our real representatives, people who worked and lived with us, elected only for them to die in what was called an assassin from the rabble who allegedly said words than none of us use before he was allegedly killed."

"You say allegedly."

"We were never shown the body. Nobody ever reported anybody missing. They did it and tried to make us believe. That was all we could take. We would not kill our own after so long a wait to be represented."

The trio sent out to fetch things returned and soon Spock found himself on a mat having a couple tending to his cuts and abrasions and splinting his arm and leg, protected from the gaze of the others. Spock noticed how Sulu still stood guard over him and how the knives were still in his hand.

There was a commotion at the back of the room and hissing and booing seemed to ripple around the room. "Here, here is the gold shirted one and the one who thinks he represents us."

"More like resents us."

The mood of the group had turned and Spock saw Sulu throw a knife. He did not know who or what it had been aimed at but the room was suddenly quiet.

"Captain Kirk, please come forward. The other man with you will stay where he is and will not be touched."

When Kirk walked onto the stage he paused for a moment to kneel down and touch his friend's shoulder. Relief flowed through his touch and Spock nodded back. When Kirk stood Sulu looked at him, "Captain, I have been hearing how the government of this planet is not dealing with an uprising but in the majority of the population seeking true equality. It appears that Starfleet was mislead by the government body."

"I have observed the same. Your halting the destruction of that school provoked such a response that I heard the truth. That is a matter we will discuss later." Sulu had nodded and Kirk looked out at the assembled people then continued, "We were sent to help restore normality and that is what we will do. We will oversee a fair election and help with the establishment of an equally balanced police force and the opening of schools to all children and hospitals to all who need attention to all those who want to learn to be medically trained."

"Fine words but,"

"But nothing. We will not leave until these changes are not only implemented but also shown to be working to Federation standards. Now, if you'll excuse me I have a First Officer to ensure gets medical care on my ship and a helmsman who has a lot of explaining to do. Groups of my officers will come down, specialists who will know what to do and assist you in learning how to do what needs to be done. We have found that those who would dominate must eventually yield and those who dominate do so because they know what it is to yield."

Back on the Enterprise while McCoy took care of Spock it was a very relieved Kirk who stood looking at his young helmsman. There were so many things that could have taken place, so many things that could have happened, and yet somehow this man before him, this man he had seen grow so much, had proven to have the qualities that would one day make him an excellent captain. While he and the security officers had been grabbed by men from the government he had been told that as Sulu and Spock had been taken by the others they would be killed. He had been told so many things that made him fear for the lives of his two men, his two friends, yet he had seen the truth. While Spock had been injured he had then been taken care of. Sulu had taken charge and kept the situation under control.

"Mister Sulu, with regard to your actions over the last twenty-nine hours I am having you stand down for an equal amount of hours after you have been medically checked. You are to use that time to rest, relax, and prepare yourself to resume your position on the bridge. We will be orbiting the planet for approximately thirty-nine days. While I am on the planet and Mister Spock is in Sickbay you will have the con. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Good, now go get some sleep."

As he watched Sulu walk away Kirk smiled. One day Sulu would be a great captain and would deserve his own starship.


	18. Chapter 18

"Investigated?" Spock looked at both Doctor McCoy and Captain Kirk suppressing any outward sign of his surprise. "Might I ask what has brought about an investigation into the Doctor's past?"

Kirk and McCoy looked at each other then McCoy looked at Spock, "Just somebody I had a lot of trouble with years ago wants to get more attention. Claims some of my papers were flawed and that I have not filled in all my reports correctly."

For a moment Spock looked into the blue eyes, for somebody to have access to McCoy's reports would be somebody in, he nodded, "The new head of the Medical Division."

"That's him. Going though all my records and has several he wants an investigation into as well as some of the papers I have written."

Both Kirk and McCoy saw an eyebrow climbing, "Several? I doubt if he would find even two or three that could remotely be classified as questionable." Then Spock started say it, the thing McCoy would not mention. "My,"

"I promised you that nobody would learn of those things that are private even to the Vulcans and I will not tell them. In your records I recorded it as it was: a strain of glandular fever."

Just the hint of a smile touched the Vulcan's lips, "That, in many ways, McCoy, is what it was."

"He has one paper that is especially damning. One I cannot remember writing but that he has. One that was with my papers accepted when I was sent to the Enterprise, it was the one that landed me this role and yet it is not one I remember writing. It is not even on a topic I would write on. From memory my paper was on the mutation of cellular structures due to a form of Valdebran rubella."

Spock nodded, "As I recall that was most informative about the way in which hydration plays a major factor in the duration." Kirk did not miss the way McCoy smiled and nodded, "And yet this Warren Haskins is questioning your work. When is the hearing?"

"Thirteen hours and eighteen minutes from now. He says he has witnesses and I can,"

"I am a witness for Bones," Kirk looked at Spock, "He was only allowed one. I expect you to take care of the ship."

"I will take care of things, Captain. Now, if you two gentlemen will excuse me I have matters to attend to." Spock took three steps then turned and looked at McCoy, "Although it is hardly necessary I will employ an Earth custom and wish you good luck, Doctor."

After Spock had gone McCoy looked at Kirk, "I'm glad he won't be there as you have to know I will not tell about what happened, no matter what they impose on me I will not tell them of that."

"I know, Bones. I also know that Spock knows you would not tell others about it." Kirk had often wondered how far his two friends would go for each other and again saw just how close they were although to get them to publicly admit to such a deep friendship was next to impossible. "I did not see your original paper but the paper that is there does seem a bit too different, even for you even though it has been verified by three independent specialists as being your work."

"Yeah, and it is those damned specialists who raised the question about some of my reports on Spock. I do have to hand it to Warren, he uses a person's weaknesses to make points." McCoy opened his desk drawer, got out two glasses and his emergency bottle. Looking at Kirk he poured two glasses and handed one to his friend, "To whatever comes."

Kirk met and held the gaze of his friends and kept the glasses together, "To friends and returning home."

Twelve hours later Kirk and McCoy walked onto the bridge and saw it as both men had expected it. Everybody at their stations, relaxed but at their stations. Spock in the command chair, watching them as they stepped down. "Just wanted to have one last look around, Spock."

"Oh Doctor McCoy, you will be back." Uhura was adamant.

"Perhaps to pack and for final farewells but the sentence" McCoy started then seemed to realize what was about to happen.

"The sentence for a medical officer to have any falsified records or have gained promotion through unscrupulous and or unethical means carries the penalty of disbarment from the medical registry and fifteen years corrective duties in a facility to be named at the time of sentencing as will as a dishonorable discharge from Starfleet with the resultant loss of all benefits." Spock had not looked away from McCoy and it was clear that there was silent communications going on while Spock was talking.

McCoy half-smiled, "Thank you for reminding me, Spock. I am sure they will let me return to pack all my things and say a proper farewell so for now the Captain and I will just say we will be back later."

Kirk looked at Spock, "Spock, keep things as they are for us."

"I will."

The room the hearing was to be held in was small but full of senior officers and McCoy paused a moment when he saw Warren Haskins holding court. There was that same smile on his face when he looked over at him and called out, "Oh, Leonard. What a pity you lose your ship to me like this but you should know that a thorough investigation would show what it shows. Captain Kirk, I will be ready to leave with the Enterprise."

Only the Chairman, calling the hearing to order, stopped Kirk from saying what he wanted to. He did not know the man yet what he was doing and how he had treated McCoy had not been a good start.

If nothing else Warren Haskins showed himself to be a showman and exact in his statements. All his facts had been check and verified. Kirk had given his testimony as a witness as to McCoy's character as abilities on the ship. McCoy was last and it was clear that Haskins was out to crucify McCoy. No matter how hard he tried Haskins could not get McCoy to say anything but glandular fever when to questioned Spock's unusual records.

"Then let us leave that and go back to that paper that, upon thorough reassessment, indicates,"

"That you, Officer Warren Haskins, or somebody under your instruction, researched Leonard McCoy's papers and had the necessary computer skills to alter papers. " A familiar baritone voice sounded from behind Kirk but he knew the voice and saw the relieved yet startled look on McCoy's face. "I apologize for interrupting this hearing, gentlemen, but I could no accept what I was hearing as it did not fit with what I know of Doctor McCoy as a doctor and as a person."

Kirk was aware of the others present looking at the Chairman, most of them most likely waiting for his to send Spock out but the man nodded, "Come forward, be recognized, and explain your accusation."

"Spock, First Officer of the starship Enterprise. If I may I would like to ask both Officer Warren Haskins and Doctor McCoy one complex question each."

"As long as it relates to the paper in question you may."

"Officer Haskins, in what you claim to be your paper you attributed what three main reactions to slow dehydration using pure distilled water?"

"I," Haskins looked at him as though struck, as though Spock had no right to question him." I will have to think for a moment as that was a long time ago."

"A fully understandable condition for a human. I will ask Doctor McCoy his question while you recall your paper, Sir."

McCoy looked at Spock and Kirk could tell there was a connection there, they were both thinking the same and McCoy was staying calm, "Doctor McCoy, in what is stated as your paper which of the sub-groups is most often found in reptilian beings?"

"Now just you wait a minute, I have to think on this."

"Oh come on! It was a brilliant paper on echinocconis and everybody knows that the hydatid cyst only feeds on mammal. Sure, it may not be as common as Valdebran rubella and your paper on it has become training material but my paper was brilliant. The position on the Enterprise should be mine!" Haskin was almost shaking red with rage as he looked at McCoy, "All through training my papers were better, my record in surgeries was better. I was the better choice. I am better!"

There was a moment of total silence then the Chairman looked McCoy, "Unless there are any who now doubt what you attested from the start you are free to go, Doctor McCoy. Of I may, Mister Spock, I would like to know what made you so strongly believe in Doctor McCoy's innocence?"

"While Doctor McCoy has often said he is just an old country doctor and some would think it logical for him to stamp his mark as such with a final paper on a bucolic ailment," Spock looked from the Chairman to McCoy, "I know him to be far from logical. Having said that there is no other doctor I would trust not only my own care to but that of the entire ship as often his suspect and most unfounded methods have worked where conventional medicine would have failed."

As the trio walked back to the ship Kirk looked at Spock, "What else, Spock? What else made you ask those questions?"

"As I looked at the papers done by Officer Haskins, and the reviews, I remembered my mother telling me to be mindfully cautious of the fury of a patient man especially if they are overly proud. I was certain that if I questioned his work he would react in such a way as to expose the truth." Spock looked at Kirk, "And I was following your orders, Jim."

"My orders?"

"Yes, you ordered me to, and I quote, keep things as they are for us which is what I have done."

"You know, Spock, you could have told us?"

"Doctor, I could not do that as than I would have to have told you of the party that has been arranged for your return to the Enterprise."

Kirk and McCoy smiled at each other and at Spock before McCoy rubbed his chin, "You know Spock, I just might have to give you a check up as your lips moved but neither of us heard anything."


	19. Chapter 19

Home was a long, long, long way away but it was where McCoy wanted to be right then. They had survived a surprise attack from a Klingon renegade but had lost eight crew, it had taken all he had to save Kirk. Somehow that blasted Vulcan had been able to get the bridge crew clear before the coolant gas filled it and was in his own quarters, hopefully resting.

As he walked to Spock's quarters McCoy tried to think what he would say this time, what tactics he would use this time to get that man to realize that he needed to rest, that he had done all that needed to be done and that competent crew was taking care of the ship. He had checked on the Captain and the others that he knew Spock would be most concerned about, although he would never openly admit it. They were all still alive because of him.

Although he knew the others were sleeping and that his medical team would contact him immediately should there be a change he wanted to personally see Spock and make sure that he was resting as ordered. That was all. He just would see that Spock was resting then, then go and try to forget the day. That was why that corner of his mind was under a magnolia tree sipping on a mint julep after a good lunch.

Spock's door opened for him and the first thing he was aware of was the aroma. It was a smell from his childhood. Magnolia. No, there was more. There was the aroma of fried chicken, cornbread, and cobbler.

For a moment McCoy was sure he was losing his mind. He had been thinking too much of wanting to be back in a safe place and now his senses had taken over. Almost fearfully he called out, "Spock?"

"I am here, Doctor. I have set your meal on my desk. I will adjust the lighting."

As the room brightened McCoy saw a plate with clearly pan-fried chicken, turnip greens, cornbread and a second plate with peach cobbler. There was also a tall glass with ice in it and a small glass with four mint sprigs. A hand lightly touched his arm, "McCoy, I realized you have had a difficult few hours and needed a break. I trust that this will give you a respite and a total break from the present situation for only the next shift and mandatory eight hours of sleep."

Dozens of questions and retorts flooded to McCoy's mind as he slowly sat down and took the first bite of the food. The blasted Vulcan had taken the time to program this meal into the food processing unit as it was not standard. There had been times when Jim had told him of Spock doing something like this for him when an event had really shaken him and how this supposedly emotionless being and taken care of him.

McCoy looked across the table at the Vulcan sipping in a Vulcan tea, "You are going to make sure I sleep, aren't you?"

"If need be I do have what I need for a second mint julep, Doctor. I do not think you will need it to assist you to sleep. I trust the others are all sleeping well."

"Yes, they are all fine and I am keeping Jim heavily sedated for the next twenty-four hours. He will not be pleased but his body needs it." McCoy was sure he would have licked the plate had Spock not been there, but the piece of cornbread did a good job of mopping the dinner plate clear. The peach cobbler took him back to what his grandmother used to make and his mother was a fair cook at making. The lemonade was just right. What made the meal complete was the mint julep. The mint julep and that quiet presence on the other side of the table. That quiet being who seemed to be always there.

It had been a long time since he had felt so relaxed. It seemed a lifetime ago that he got the first casualties from the attack. He was just so tired and the meal and the drink had helped ease away the burdens he had shouldered. Everything was all right now, he could relax, he would have that second mint julep.

When he woke McCoy had no memory of leaving Spock's quarters let alone going to bed. The last thing he remembered. Slowly he opened his eyes, he was in Spock's quarters, on Spock's bed, bootless, and covered by a blanket. Damn! Jim had said Spock had put him to bed and he had scoffed at the thought but Jim had meant Spock had just placed him on the bed. When he looked around he realized that Spock was not to be seen and almost instantly knew where he would be.

Doctor M'Benga confirmed that Spock had been in checking on the bridge crew who were still there, was going to check the others who had been discharged, and had said he would be on the bridge since it was cleared of the coolant.

There were nine crew members working on the repairs and Spock was working on the Science Station when McCoy got to the bridge. Unseen by the Vulcan McCoy walked over to stand behind him, "And how long have you been here, Spock? I believe I told you to rest."

"Which I did last night. I trust you slept well, Doctor."

McCoy looked into two dark eyes and lowered his voice, "Very well, thanks to you Spock."

"I have noticed that you often do not follow your own advice, Doctor. I also was certain that you would have the second mint julep."

As McCoy looked at him the reason he could not remember getting to the bed became apparent, "You drugged me?"

"No, Doctor, I merely did not put any water in with the bourbon."

McCoy smiled, "I've long heard that there is a foolish fun-loving corner in the brain of the most serious of wisest men and now I know it to be true. I do not know what to say, Spock."

"That is the gift of our friendship, McCoy. We three, you, James Kirk and myself often do not need words, do we? Now, if you will excuse me, I have to check that the Science Station here is fully functional. We have the helm, navigation, and communication systems all ready for the next alpha shift, engineering is eighty-six point five one percent connected and reliable, with just the command seat connections and my station to be finished. I would like to be able to inform Jim that the bridge is fit for use when he wakes."

"And I would like to be able to tell him that his friend, First Officer and Science Officer has had some sleep." McCoy watched Spock's face and saw the almost indecision, "I would be content with just two hours."

"In my own quarters?"

"That is acceptable."

"I will require approximately another," Spock paused as it was clear that McCoy meant for him to have those two hours immediately. "I will go to my quarters now. I would like you to accompany me as I have a bottle of bourbon that would be better placed and explained in **your quarters**."

* * *

**A/n ** Ahhhh to the memories of young Marines away from home at Christmas enjoying themselves at our house and waking up on one of our sofas the next morning with my father (their senior officer) having advised the barracks that they had stayed with us.


	20. Chapter 20

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"Going somewhere, Kirk?" Admiral Menzies called out as Captain James Kirk started to leave the reception hall.

Just for a moment Kirk had wanted to reply he was going to get as far away from that gathering as he could get but he just turned and smiled, "Just need to find a quiet place for a few minutes." As he watched the tall man walk over to him Kirk realized that of all the senior officers present he and Menzies possibly had the most in common. While none of the other speakers there had ever been on a single mission on a starship Menzies had been captain of one for six years before he was promoted.

"Yeah, this is so different to out there. Out there you can think, you can hear your quiet voice talking to you. You do not have the same weapons as they use in Command, you have actual physical weapons and not words and ideas."

"Sounds like you miss it."

"Crave it is more like it. Pulled me off the bridge because of that blasted reputation of being diplomatic and totally non-threatening and for so totally trusting of my crew. They also pulled me as a medical factor flared up as they knew it would when they gave me the captaincy but it gave me six years out there. The hierarchy has absolutely no idea of how diplomatic you have to be nor how you have to be able to trust you crew out there. They had no idea but are ready to crucify those who do know what it is like. That Chief Engineer you have sure has them talking now."

Kirk smiled, "Yes, Mister Scott does not hold back when defending his engines."

"His engines?"

"To him his crew down there and the engines are his, not just his responsibility but actually his. I've never known of an engineer who knew so much about engines of almost every kind we have encountered and what makes them work."

"From what he just said up there he has no time for small talk. Gets right to the point."

Kirk shook his head. Scotty had been on the stage with two of Starfleet's top engineers and the two started to heatedly debate how Scotty had modified the Enterprise's engines after the equipment the two of them had installed for the Enterprise to test had failed and left them without power. They had argued back and forth for several minutes till Scotty had physically stepped between them, looked at the two of them then out at the gathering, "Ye ask why I'll nae stay on a base. Look at them. Two fine talkers for sure but not one of them a good listener. My bairns and my lads listen to me and know how to talk with me. If you do nae mind I'll be getting back to civilized conversation."

Aware that Menzies was expecting a response Kirk just looked at him. "With Mister Scott you know exactly where you stand."

"I take it you would rather leave with him?"

"Yes."

Menzies looked at him and in the grey eyes that looked at him Kirk saw understanding and watched as he rubbed his chin and softly said, "Do you have a code on your communicator for immediate feedback?"

"Yes, but,"

"Discretely do it. Set signal up."

Not sure what was going on Kirk made sure nobody saw him make the adjustment and send the signal.

Almost immediately there was a reply and those around looked at them. Menzies looked shocked, "Open your communicator and hand it to me, Kirk."

Kirk opened the communicator and handed it to Menzies, "This is Admiral Menzines, why are you contacting Captain Kirk?"

"With all due respect, Sir we received," Spock started.

"You received information that is only for Kirk to see. I understand. He will return to the Enterprise immediately. Menzies out." The man held out the communicator and Kirk nodded his thanks. "Captain Kirk, you have your responsibilities to take care of on the ship. I believe we have heard all that was needed and I feel confident that the downloaded information will answer any questions that the designers may have before they trial the next advance in modifications to starship engines. Thank you for your time and assistance. Safe traveling."

When Kirk materialized on the Enterprise he saw Scotty where he usually was as such times, manning the transporter, and Spock waiting. As soon as he stepped off the platform Scotty left claiming he needed to check some wiring.

"Captain, that signal,"

"I needed to get away from there. It was," Kirk tried to think of how to explain it to his logical and exact friend.

"Mister Scott said that after the first few minutes it became a battle between egos and self-congratulations from others and that you looked disgusted with it all. Am I to believe that it was not your idea to use the emergency signal we established?"

"No, seems Menzies had one with his crew as well."

"I did hear that when he was promoted that a staggering seventy-one point eight percent of his crew who were eligible to transfer or retire did so as they said they would serve under no other captian." Spock looked at him for at moment, "I do believe that should you be promoted you would find a higher percentage of the Enterprise crew would leave for the same reason. If you will excuse me, Captain, I have a report to file."


	21. Chapter 21

"Friendship is not something Vulcans understand nor appreciate, Kirk. If what you said about a friendship with your First Officer was true we would be out of here by now. Face it. He has followed standing orders and left you just as I would expect my crew to leave me."

James Kirk looked at Captain Darren Evans. They had been sent here on a joint fact finding and evacuation mission and been trapped by those they were rescuing, stripped of their communicators and weapons, and left in this, this cave. "He will not have left." Kirk turned and standing, as he had since they were placed here, at the entrance to the cave looked up at the stars. "He will come back for me."

"Vulcans follow orders, Jim. We were ordered to find out what the problem is with the planetoid, which we did, and to evacuate the inhabitants, which we did, and leave, which our ships did. As a First Officer he would have taken command and left. No thought of friendship or our fate. He will do as my First will, answer questions, fill and file forms, and move on without a second thought as they know that their role is to take charge in our place. They know they have to think of the others."

The others would be who Spock would be thinking of. He would have all scanners aimed at this planetoid on full gain for lifeforms. They knew that the minerals of the planet caused false readings but with few animals on the planet he knew Spock would be looking for any lifeforms. By being at the opening of the cave the scanners could detect him. Spock would be having the others watching all the available scanners and he would most likely keep scanning till Scotty or Bones or both physically made him stop.

"What do you know of your First Officer, Darren? Now, before you get riled I figure we may as well forget rank at a time like this and talk as normal people. I mean what do you know about your First Officer as an individual."

"Okay, Jim. All I know about my First Officer is what I need to know. He is human, eight years younger than me, and knows his job and his place. I have found it best not to get too involved with the others. And, before you ask, I do tend to keep to myself. I read a great deal and listen to music when off duty. I like a ship and crew that follows routine and regulations. I have heard some colorful stories about the Enterprise but always how your First is total Vulcan and is always in officer mode."

Kirk smiled to himself. Spock was a private person but those few on the ship who he let see his Human side knew he was not only not total Vulcan but also was not always in the officer mode that so many saw. As far as Kirk knew all of the bridge crew had seen him at least ten or a dozen times let that Vulcan wall down and that Human peek out.

"I also like the ship the have routine and regulations **but** I also like it to think of it as a body of beings working together. Some have said that I am the driving force of the Enterprise, my Chief Medical Officer its heart, and my First Officer its reasoning. I like to think of the bridge crew as my siblings and the rest of the crew as an extended family." Still looking back at the stars, "I believe my First will keep looking for me till my Chief Medical Officer and Chief Engineer force him to stop by using medicine, physical means, and stating the regulations and how his not following them would impact on other members of the crew."

"I do not think your First knew you were taken as he was on your ship. My First was there as we were taken: he may not have seen it happen but he would have known I was not there before they left."

Kirk nodded. Spock had gone up to the ship before him to ensure everything was ready and to upload all he could from the computers on the planetoid. They had been taken in a very carefully planned way, separated from the group, and, judging from the rope they found, lowered and swung into the cave. That was three days ago. There were some water canteens that had been slung in with them but no food. Although he knew that Evans was correct in what **should have** been done, what **would be done** by officers who followed the rules and regulations, **he knew Spock**. That stubborn being would later justify his actions but Kirk knew his Vulcan friend would not give up on him.

Time had no meaning. Kirk just sat looking at the stars. He wondered how many of the crew Spock had watching the scanners and how many of the ships scanners he was using. In his mind he could hear McCoy telling Spock to have a break, to eat, to rest for a few minutes and Spock would either ignore him or say he had to maintain his observations.

"Guess I just sit here with you. We know how this is going to end but if it gives you some sort of comfort believing they are scanning then they would pick up two forms easier than one."

"Spock **will be** scanning."

"You really are certain about that, aren't you? I have heard that Vulcans are loyal to their commanding officers but they also follow regulations."

"**Spock will find me**, us. **He is my friend**."

"Jim, when will you face facts? It is a known fact that Vulcans do not have friendships even with other Vulcans."

"Decidedly not the superficial friendships so many humans have but I know what it is like to have a Vulcan as a friend."

For the rest of the night and well into the next day they just sat in silence. They stood looking at the last canteen of water and Kirk saw the look Darren gave him, one of real satisfaction.

As they each took a last mouthful of the water Darren looked at him, "Well, Jim. Orders are if there is not trace,"

"Spock will come."

"I have proof on my side, Jim. The proof of this and of years of reading about Vulcans."

"While wisdom might be a defense, Darren, understanding and first-hand knowledge is an even better defense. You're sure to have read more about Vulcans than I have but I have had the privilege to know one as a friend."

"A privilege to know a cold, unfeeling, emotionless, thing that sees you are a mere human and a being he must obey?"

A rage suddenly built in Kirk. too many times he had heard people talk of Spock as though he were a thing. For Evans to actually call him that was the last straw. He took a step towards him and suddenly felt the familiar tingling of a transporter beam.

As they materialized on the platform Kirk glanced quickly to where he knew Spock would be with Scotty only to see Bones, Uhura, Sulu, and Chekov also waiting.

Before he could say anything Spock said, "Welcome aboard the Enterprise, Captain Evans. Captain Kirk, the ship is yours." As Kirk looked at his friend he knew that Evans would not have heard the relief but saw the others did and saw from the look Bones gave him that the Vulcan had not rested, eaten, or done anything but look for them for four days.

"Thank you, Mister Spock. You are relieved. I will see you in the briefing room in twelve hours after you have had something to eat and have fully rested as per Doctor McCoy's orders, **am I clear on that**?"

"Yes, Sir. I shall see you then."

"See, what I told you," Evans whispered as they stepped down from the platform. "A friend would have been more relieved to see you, would have said so. No feelings at all."

"Captain Evans, your ship left three days ago. Your First Officer took command and all but declared you dead." Sulu looked at the man, "He pointed out to Mister Spock that it was as per regulations but Mister Spock said he had to locate Captain Kirk: we all agreed with that command decision."

Kirk could tell that Evans was shocked that he had been abandoned as quickly as he had despite his statements about rules and regulations.

"While you two are checked over by Doctor McCoy I will notify your ship, Captain Evans, of your status, Sir." Uhura nodded at Kirk, "Good to have you home, Sir. After I have notified Captain Evan's ship I will just check on the earlier matter and confirm it with you, Captain."

"Thank you, Lieutenant. I am would appreciate that."

After they had contacted his ship and had a meal Kirk took Evans to the quarters he would be using for the night while waiting to rendezvous with his ship. Several of the crew had shown how pleased they were to have him back, a few had asked if Spock had finally gone for some sleep, and some had commented on the strength of their friendship and how Spock had not listened to that other First Officer.

At the door to the quarters Evans looked at him and Jim Kirk saw envy on the man's face. "You were right, Kirk, about you being the driving force, the doctor the heart, and clearly the Vulcan is the reasoning. I have a ship with crew but you have a crew with a ship. Clearly there is something to that Vulcan that is not found in books as I could see how your crew respects him as a man and not as a Vulcan. I still have my doubts about friendship being a part of them, **but I could be wrong**,"

Kirk looked right at him and said quietly, "You are. You are so very wrong."


	22. Chapter 22

**"Everything **will be up to your high standards, is that what you are saying, Kirk? You left your navigator in charge and you think everything will be up to your exceptionally high standards? I have heard that he is not only young but also a bit impetuous, a bit hot-headed at times."

Captain James Kirk looked at Admiral Jeffery Banks. The man had a reputation for being pedantic and harsh when it came to inspecting ships of the fleet and Kirk knew that he was out to find fault with the Enterprise. When Fleet had ordered him, Spock, McCoy, Sulu, Uhura, and Mister Scott off the ship to attend a debriefing he had not suspected this. They had been in a minor skirmish with an Orion who had designs on the Enterprise but two warning shots had been all it had taken to dissuade the man's thinking about the ship. It had not been unusual to be asked for them to be debriefed when they docked, but had seemed odd that they had not asked for Chekov as well.

"If you recall, Sir, the six of us were specifically named. Pavel Chekov, my navigator, has my full confidence. I do not like the character nor the abilities of my officers questions by others."

The man nodded, "I am equally sure my team's report was very thorough." The man handed him a tablet and Kirk glanced to see the report of the inspection done while they were being debriefed. The only thing that was noted for the Admiral to see for himself was the attitude of the navigator and acting captain.

As they stepped off the transporter platform Chekov was there and looked at them, nodding as he said, "Admiral Banks." then a smile flashed across his face as their eyes briefly met, "Keptin Kirk, the ship is yours, Sir.".

"Thank you, Mister Chekov. I am taking the Admiral around the ship. We will meet you in Briefing Room One in twenty-five standard minutes."

"Yes, Sir."

After they had toured the ship and Kirk had seen how surprised the Admiral was about the status of the ship, at how purposefully busy the crew was they walked into the Briefing Room and for a moment Kirk felt an annoyance. They were late and Chekov was not there.

Chekov was not there but a young ensign stood at attention, "Captain Kirk, Mister Chekov told me to report to you that he would be perhaps five minutes late as there is a minor discrepancy in the recalibration of one of the compasses in auxiliary."

"Did he tell you how minor the discrepancy is?" Banks stance showed his annoyance.

"He did not say so out loud, Sir, but I did hear him mutter something about point zero zero seven five of a degree off. No disrespect, Sirs, but it was on the auxiliary's second emergency compass and not the main system nor even the first emergency one. He should be here shortly."

Once the ensign had left Banks looked at Kirk, "Point zero zero seven five out in auxiliary. I was told that only Mister Spock was that particular."

"Mister Chekov takes great pride in his navigational skills. He and Mister Spock work together a great deal and I think Mister Spock's desire for exactness has had an impact on some other members of the crew, Chekov in particular."

Chekov all but ran into the room and stood at attention before saying, "Keptin, I apologize for being late but I had to take care of a major discrepancy in the auxiliary emergency compass."

"We were informed that the discrepancy was only point zero zero seven five of a degree off."

"**Only**? Only is not exact, Sir. It must be exact for the Keptin."

"You have done a fine job of running the ship while all other senior crew were off the ship. You show command potential."

"Thanks you, Sir. There is an old Russian saying that it is through obedience to a firm but tolerant leader that we learn how to command. I still have a great deal to learn from the Keptin."

Kirk could see that Banks had possibly never confronted anybody else as passionate about their heritage or anybody else who thought all good things stemmed from their place of origin.

"If the Admiral has not further questions I think you should get back to the conn till I relieve you."

"Nothing further. Thank you for your time."

Once Chekov had gone the Admiral shook his heard then looked at Kirk, "I have to hand it to you, Kirk. You have not only the finest ship in the fleet but, from what I have seen, by far the best crew. A very diverse and strange command crew that somehow works exceptionally well. I believe when we return to the base you will receive your next orders and I can see that your crew keeps the ship ready at all times. Yet another aspect that speaks well of the command crew of the ship."

"Of the whole crew, Sir." Kirk said then looked at the man and saw he had deliberately said the command crew to see Kirk's reaction.

"As I said, you have the best crew in the fleet. Shall we go get the rest of your command crew?"

His command crew was waiting for him the transporter room when they beamed down. As soon as the Admiral had left Kirk looked at Spock and shook his head.

"Is something wrong, Captain?"

"Your influence on Chekov was obvious, Spock."

"My influence?"

"Chekov was late to meet us as the emergency compass in auxiliary, the emergency one not the one we would initially use but the emergency one, was point zero zero seven five of a degree off. He said it had to be exact **for me**. Now, who does that sound like, saying it has to be exact **for me**?"

"Clearly Chekov realizes how important it is for you to have exact information. Would you rather he just, as you would say, hazard a guess?"

Only for a moment did Kirk think of replying but saw that look on the face of his friend that let him know he clearly understood, then lightly and briefly placed a hand on the Vulcan's arm, "Let's all just go home."


	23. Chapter 23

"Doctor McCoy, please allow Lieutenant Uhura and I speak in private for a moment. I am sure she will explain to me what transpired without you haranguing her like that as I am confident she will remember better what she did once she has had time to concentrate and remember."

"But you will tell me what it is she used. Damned amazing. Saved your sight you know?"

"I am well aware that not even the extra eyelid that Vulcans have would have saved my sight this time, Doctor, had the Lieutenant not done as she did."

The person they were discussing was sitting in the room just looking at them both and looking, looking. McCoy had told her she looked guilty but to Spock she seemed embarrassed, worried, and ashamed all at the same time. While McCoy had no idea what Uhura had used to stop the acid that had been thrown in his face by the natives he had a hypothesis he had to verify, the only thing he could think of that would counter the acid and yet also cause such an array of emotions from Uhura. He had regained full consciousness to hear McCoy rather angrily questioning the Lieutenant as to what she had done and she was not telling him.

When McCoy left them, muttering under his breath about damn mind melds, Uhura looked at Spock and he could see she was thinking of what McCoy had been thinking. "Lieutenant Uhura, I will not meld with you but **I will** **ask** for your honesty in reply to my one three-part question. On reflection of all that happened I have formed a rather unusual hypothesis and your replies will prove my assumption to either be correct or not. The answers will not leave this room nor will it be discussed with any third-party. May I ask?"

"Of course, Sir." Knowing that only the two of them would ever know seemed to relax the Lieutenant but from the way she was looking just to the right on his eyes Spock knew she was still embarrassed.

"Our reports are in total synchronicity up to the point where I had the acid thrown in my eyes and, as a result of my falling, I lost consciousness for eighteen point three one standard minutes during which time the hostiles had left and you had tended to my injuries as well as securing me so I could no longer endanger myself or you."

From the silence Uhura knew he was expecting a response. "Yes, Sir. That is what happened."

"It was while I was unconscious and the acid was starting to damage my eyes that you acted. Now, am I correct in my hypothesis that you somehow found an alkaline substance that halted the acidic reaction and applied it to my eyes therefore saving my sight? And not only did you find an alkaline substance but you knew how to apply it and kept reapplying it until we were found but you do not wish to talk about what you did, correct?"

"Yes, Sir. I did what I had to do and do not wish to think about it nor discuss it."

"You are aware that the good doctor will pester you until he finds out?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"Then do you not feel it best to tell him?'

"No, I, I can't even tell you."

"I am grateful that you did what you did and saved my sight, Uhura. I will not see you bothered by McCoy. "

"But," she stopped when Spock held up his hand.

"All anybody else need know was that using," Spock looked intently at her and Uhura felt oddly comforted by the look, "pulped leaves of readily available plants you were able to apply alkaline liquid to neutralize the acid. Is that not what happened? They need not know how you pulped it, they did not see your teeth with bits of green on them."

Uhura bowed her head, "How, how long have you known?"

"I had been forming my hypothesis since I saw you leaning over me when I regained full consciousness in Sickbay. You had what was clearly a piece of some sort of green vegetation on your left canine tooth. I trust you had not digestive upset,"

"I did not swallow anything, just chewed. I remembered what my great, great grandmother on my mother's side said about nature providing a balance if we knew where to look. My mother took me to visit her a few times and once I cut myself badly and instead of taking me to a doctor she just chewed some weed and spat the green pulp onto the cut then bandaged it: there was no pain and no scar."

"Uhura, look at me." Slowly she looked up and saw only concern about the Vulcan's face, concern she knew only those familiar with this special person would see. "I thank you for saving my sight. I will tell McCoy what we just discussed: that you pulped the leaves of local green vegetation and applied the liquid to my eyes knowing such liquid would be alkaline and counteract the acid. With both of us telling him that truth he will not question you further."

"Thank you."

"Doctor McCoy, you may return now."

"About time." McCoy walked in and looked first at Spock and then steadily at Uhura, "It is my Sickbay. Ready now to tell me know what you used and what you did?"

"As soon as they left I got to Mister Spock and secured his hands to his sides so he would not rub his eyes. I then gathered a lot of green leaves and pulped them and put them on his eyes. I kept getting more leaves to get more of the liquid."

"How," McCoy shook his head, "That is something you would have learned on a survival course. I should have known. Sorry if I was too bombastic, I tend to get that way when it comes to this one and puzzles." They both laughed as a Vulcan eyebrow arched up. "Must have seemed like a long wait till we got to you."

Uhura looked briefly at Spock, smiled, then back at McCoy, "The time with Mister Spock, while waiting for rescue, did show me how a day really is a miniature eternity."


	24. Chapter 24

Captain James T Kirk looked around the bridge and felt a bit uneasy when he looked at the stranger at the Science Station. He then looked straight ahead and did not allow himself to look at the First Officer. They would be back at Starbase Eight in less than three standard hours and things would get back to normal then.

This mistake had been all his and he would correct it. It had been what Bones had called a knee-jerk reaction. Starfleet Command had said they would give it a trial as it would be interesting to see how quickly command crews could adapt to such a radical change. The look on Spock's face when he was told of the temporary exchange had been the closest Kirk could ever remember of seeing the Vulcan nearly show an emotion in public. At the time it had given him great satisfaction to see him discomforted like that. Then Kirk had thought it served him right to feel uncomfortable. How sure Kirk was it would show that interfering Vulcan that he could manage without him around all the time.

Sure, there had been a few rough days at the start as the crew, especially the command crew, came to accept the presence of the other two officers. As captain it had been his duty to make sure they all worked well together and he was aware that there had been a major shift in communication, in performance, and even in the general feeling on the bridge. Neither Bones nor Scotty spent as much time on the bridge as they used to and there was none of the usual banter. That was it, they had accepted the presence of the two officers but had not welcomed them, had not included them. It had been in the subtle things that Kirk had noticed that showed him the others had no intention of doing or saying more on the bridge than they had to. Their short and exact answers to his questions, as per standard procedure where they ended each answer with Sir or Captain, how they addressed each other by their rank and surname, and the way he had to ask each one for their opinion.

Then there was that annoying delay in getting details from the Science Officer who liked to double check himself before answering. And the way the First Officer gave him the pros and cons of every action he asked about without saying which one was more likely to cause problems.

A little over four days ago he had seen Spock for the first time since the announcement of the change. They had not spoken since they had been told of the exchange. The one time that the two ships communicated during the whole thirty-five standard day exercise. There had been an undeniable change in the atmosphere on the bridge when Spock's image appeared on the screen. Both Scotty and Bones had rushed to the bridge as soon as Uhura had notified them.

Just for perhaps fifteen to twenty seconds there was jubilant excitement on the bridge as the others all greeted him like a long lost loved one. Again Kirk had seen just a touch of an emotion on that stoic face, one of almost happiness.

"It is pleasant to see you all are well. I will be seeing all of you in sixty-four point six one standard hours. Captain Kneals would like a word with Captain Kirk. I trust Science Officer Paulson had no difficulties with the last assessment assignment we were given, as the fourth part was fascinating."

A rather solidly built man moved in and took Spock's position, "Ahhh, Captain Kirk, I hope you have filled in and filed your assessment and suggestions as I will be doing mine after shift. This idea of yours has been most interesting and made me appreciate what makes your crew so special. I cannot believe the change in my crew since Mister Spock came aboard."

The assessment. Damn, he had almost forgotten that aspect. "I will be doing my one after my shift as well. Mister Spock does tend to have an impact on the rest of the crew."

"Yes, after the crew got used to his precision and the Vulcan aloofness the proficiency and camaraderie seemed to change for the better. As he said, we will meet about sixty-five standard hours. There, hopefully, will be a few changes coming out of this. Kneals out."

When the screen went blank nobody said a word. It did not feel like his bridge. Nobody was saying a word either about how Spock looked or what was said.

Now, less than three hours from the base Kirk sat in his quarters looking blankly at the screen of his computer. What in the heat of that moment had seemed such a good idea, what he had so confidently said needed to be done, what his hurt ego and anger had blinded him to was there on the screen. A starship captain had to be able to rely on his command crew and his entire crew. He had to have a First Officer who was unafraid to tell him when he was wrong, when he should think, and when he was making a fool of himself.

McCoy arrived with a cup of coffee, "You keep hearing it too?"

"What?"

"Oh, please. You heard it. The way Spock said he would be **seeing** all of you in sixty-four point six one standard hours and how Kneals said be a few **changes coming** out of this after saying how much better things were on his ship with Spock there."

McCoy had almost always been able to tell what was bothering him. "Spock will come back. This is his home."

"Is it? What was it you yelled at him when he tried to get you out of that bar? Something about you getting an unfeeling, insensitive, cold Vulcan out of your hair and off your ship for good? Then to put this exchange idea out there and it be accepted without discussing it with him. You ever thought he might like a change?"

No, Kirk looked at the empty cup in his hand, not remembering drinking the coffee. No, the Enterprise was Spock's home, Spock was his First Officer. But he had heard it, in the way Spock had said he would be **seeing** them not he would be rejoining them. Just as the Captains had to fill in assessments so did those three. What if Spock stated he did now want to return to the Enterprise? What if that look he had seen on Spock's face in the bar and the look on his face when told of the exchange meant what he feared? So many times before he knew he had hurt his Vulcan friend but this time, this time he had let his anger control his actions for far too long. This time he had pushed Spock too far for he had done so in public.

"What do I do, Bones? What if, what if,"

"Jim, I think you have done more than enough. It is up to him now." Kirk saw sadness about the blue eyes and on the face of his friend and Chief Medical Officer. "I thought you learned ages ago from him that trick of his."

"What trick?"

"His knack of knowing that the best answer to anger is silence. I do not know if it is a Vulcan thing or not but you must have noticed it with him. How instead of flaring back an answer as we mere Humans would do he will go super quiet."

Outside the room they were to meet at for a debriefing of the assessment Kirk saw how his five senior officers all rushed over to greet Spock when he arrived and saw almost a relaxed smile on his face. Captain Kneals walked up to him, "Kirk, you must know I have asked for him to be reassigned to my ship. Why you ever let him off the Enterprise is far beyond my way of thinking. I mean if Vulcans were able to have fiends I sure would want to be one with him."

Jim Kirk felt his world implode. This was not meant to happen. He had only done it as a reaction without thinking. At the time he had suggested it all he wanted was for Spock to know he did not have all the control. He had wanted to show Spock he could get along just fine without him.

"You, you asked for Spock?"

"Well, wasn't that the whole reasoning behind this? To find another ship for him. I mean we all heard what you said to him in the bar. You want him off your ship. A straight exchange."

"Have you, have you talked with Spock about it?"

"No need, he is a great First Officer but he is still just a subordinate officer."

Just a subordinate officer. A subordinate officer. The words kept repeating as they entered the interview room. All Kneals saw was a useful subordinate officer, As the five of them faced the panel it felt wrong to Kirk. He had Kneals's two officers standing behind and Kneals had Spock standing behind him.

"Well, gentlemen, we have reviewed the assessments and it seems to have been a good experiment in personnel rotation. If there are no objections from the exchanged officers," there was silence and Kirk stopped himself from turning to look as Spock, "and none from the captains then it is,"

"Wrong," now Kirk turned and looked at Spock, "This whole thing was wrong. I was drunk when you tried to stop me being a bigger fool than I was yet that is no excuse for what I said to you, what I called you, and what I did as a result of that. What I did by suggesting this exchange. I was mad at myself but I lashed out at you. I am so sorry and I need you back on my ship, I need you beside me on that bridge." Kirk took a breath and looked steadily into those dark eyes, "I need you, Spock, but I will understand if you find the other ship,"

"Captain Kirk, I had no intention of staying on that dead ship. I was waiting to see if, as a result of this latest venture, you felt more comfortable with those not as impervious to human emotions as myself before I decided on my next course of action. I will be pleased to return to a ship where the crew talks with one another not at one another, where while rank still is to be respected it does not lesser nor increase the worth of the officer, and where discussion on the bridge is not limited to just the exploration going on outwardly but that which is going on within the individuals as well as the dynamics of the crew."

The meeting was adjourned and Kneals walked away with his two men and Kirk and group walked away with Spock.

Spock stood in his quarters with Kirk standing before him "If,if I had wanted the others." Kirk felt he had to know.

Those dark eyes looked into him, found that place in that Kirk had kept hidden, that place he would go to so he would not be hurt, that place where he had been safe but alone till Spock showed him so many times he was not alone. "If you had wanted the others I would have taken up a position held open for me at the Vulcan Science Academy and left Starfleet."


	25. Chapter 25

Both men sat in silence. They were both momentarily trapped in their own versions of hell as they were both blaming themselves for what had happened to their friend and neither of them knew what was going on in that other room.

"How much longer do you think they'll be?"

"How should I know? In case you didn't notice they're Vulcan healers, not doctors, Jim."

"I should never have asked him to,"

"Now, don't you start that, ya hear? He knew the risks as well as any of us, better maybe. I should've had him in Sickbay as soon as he returned and not let him get back to his station like that. I should,"

"You could not have stopped him, Bones. You know that, you, of all people know what he thinks of Sickbay."

"You know that even they do not know what that thing was? We get here, Spock gets into contact with that thing, it leaves, and we thought all was fine. How could we have thought that? By we I mean them and us. They're Vulcans as well you know; they should have known this could happen."

Four figures walked up to them and the shortest of the group said, "Had we known what the entity was, what it sought, we would have known that this could happen, Doctor McCoy. We had had no experience with such a lifeform and knew nothing about it or what it sought. When we attempted to make contact it attacked and killed two of our most senior scientists."

"You set up this station for advanced Vulcan scientists in the middle of nowhere, carry out all sorts of experimentation but no real exploration, and have no use for the likes of Starfleet to check on you till something like this happens and you need to be bailed out of trouble. You turned your backs on Spock because of his Human factors and now you have to see that it is that combination of Vulcan and Human genes that saved you little enclave here. Your planet turned its back on him but he never, **never** turned his back on Vulcan and now, now he's paying for that boneheaded loyalty to Vulcan." McCoy was riled and Jim Kirk knew that when facing the possible loss of a patient the man got overly defensive.

"Gentlemen, you must understand that Doctor McCoy," Kirk started.

"What we understand, Captain Kirk, is that there is a deep feeling of what Humans call friendship that triangulates the three of you. While we were unable to reach deep enough into his mind to find a pathway to help him heal he keeps asking about and for you two. It appears he was more concerned about whatever that gaseous creature would do to you to and the Enterprise than he was about himself or even us."

Kirk looked at McCoy. How many times had the Vulcan taken on the unknown to protect them, how many times had he stated that his Vulcan aspects made him the logical choice, hoe many times,

The Vulcan who appeared to be the eldest spoke, "We have been unable to establish any long link with him. He is aware of us trying to help him but there is a wall either it put in this mind or he did to stop any access to his mind beyond the surface and immediate concerns which are the safety of you two and the ship. We cannot bring him out of it, I am sorry."

_Cannot bring him out of it_. Hating himself of asking but knowing he needed to know Kirk looked at the man, "Then he will remain like that,"

"I am sorry, Captain Kirk, but he will remain in that state until he dies. If you wish to see him before,"

"You bet I wish to see him!" McCoy was on his feet before Kirk could react. "He is not giving up that easily. Spock does not give up like that." He turned and looked at his stunned and shocked captain, "Well, don't just be sitting there. You heard the man, he is **only thinking of us**. Dammit, Jim, he's waiting for us to help him! Take us to him."

Sure that McCoy was being irrational and not wanting to inflame the situation any further Kirk started to reluctantly follow. He had seen how Spock had collapsed at his station on the Enterprise after being in contact with whatever that thing had been, saw him fall and go into the fetal position and seem totally unaware of anything around him. As he followed the Vulcans and McCoy along the corridors he thought of what McCoy had said and realized it was both a possibility as well as wishful thinking. "_he's waiting for us to help him_" but how.

Spock lay on a bed, still in the fetal position McCoy looked from Spock to him, gripped his hand and pulled him over to the bed. "Do as I do, Jim! Do not argue!" McCoy placed his right hand on Spock's face and rolled him over enough so that Kirk could place his left hand on Spock's face then placed his left hand on Kirk's face. For a moment Kirk paused, then saw what McCoy was doing and put his hand on McCoy's face.

Nothing. Kirk had experienced enough mind melds with Spock to know what to feel, what to be aware of but there was nothing. Just,

"_Alright, Spock! Jim and I are fine but right now I am really, really mad at you! You going off and doing something like that was bad enough, you not staying in Sickbay so I could thoroughly check you out was a tad worse, but leaving me to deal with what will happen to Jim if you decide not to come back to us is something I cannot handle without you. You he listens to, me he just hears so don't you even be thinking of leaving us. You hear me?"_

_"Bones, it is his choice, it always has been. It will be my choice to leave the Enterprise if he decides to leave us. Some say,"_

_"His choice! __**You gave him no alternative**__, Jim.. Who was the one who asked him if he could get into contact with that thing? You know that was as good as a direct order. You, you could have,"_

_"__**You made no comment at the time**__, Bones. You could have,"_

_"_**Kroykah!****_"_**Kirk and McCoy heard it both in the meld and externally and saw Spock open his eyes and look at them somewhat shocked. "Please stop, you are tearing each other apart for no reason." An eyebrow arched, "Fascinating. The same approach I used on the entity worked on me. I explained to it how in this world, the solid world of sentient beings, that we used emotion and logic to survive and the some found the emotional aspects preferable to the logical ones . However your application need not have been so hostile towards one another for it was, indeed, my decision as it was only logical," Spock stopped for a moment at looked at his two friends and they saw the ghost of a smile on his face for a moment, "You two deliberately attacked one another to draw me out from where it had driven me. I could hear and sense the healers attempting to reach me but there was a wall of confused thoughts left by the entity. It took the logical and emotional fluctuations in your somewhat explosive discussion while in an attempted mind meld to destroy that wall."

"Captain Kirk, that was most unusual. For non-telepaths to be able to do that was thought to be impossible or at least very difficult."

Spock slowly got up and felt the physical presences of McCoy and Kirk supporting him without touch. "I have found that with humans it is through difficulties that what a man truly is is shown."

The tallest of the Vulcans, clearly the station's leader, said, "So it would seem, Spock, and in helping us with our difficulty we have seen that what is said on Vulcan about you and Doctor McCoy and Captain Kirk is true. You three are true friends. Live long and prosper."


	26. Chapter 26

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All day they had been called to account for what was, to the seven of the command crew of the Enterprise, a routine event. The whole problem stemmed from having a Federation representative and two admirals from Starfleet aboard and them not at all familiar with dealing with a sudden attack from an unknown source.

Captain James Kirk had stood before the judicial bench first and had looked at each of the eleven there who were bent on demoting not only him but the others and splitting them up after the way those three had described what they had seen.

"I cannot and will not speak on behalf of my crew apart from to say that I am the only one who should be held accountable for what occurred. I am the Captain and the decisions made are mine and actions taken are as per my orders. I have been too often been called the best captain in the fleet. I am only that because of my crew, I am who and what I am because of the devotion of these six exceptional officers and the service of a dedicated and loyal crew. The thought of breaking up a command crew as connected as these six is a display of stupidity. If there is anybody to blame for anything that occurred after we were attacked that I, and I alone, am to blame and the only one to be held accountable."

"The Keptin is wrong." Chekov walked up to stand half a step in front of Kirk, "I am accountable. I did not see the wessel that attacked us. It is my responsibility to tell the Keptin of such things and I did not see any sign of the wessel. It was my fault."

"No, I am to blame for it." Uhura moved to stand next to Chekov, "I did not hear any distortion as can often be heard when there is a large craft displacing space and causing the interruptions in sound. I should have detected it."

"I did neither saw the vessel nor did I detect any anomalies on the scanners. When we did see the second energy wave coming I did not get us away fast enough. I am the one responsible." Sulu stood next to Uhura.

"Can ye nay understand that after the first attack I was too slow in getting me bairns up to warp speed? Tis all my fault," Mister Scott stood next to Uhura, "I did nay have me bairns ready for the captain."

"Gentlemen, despite what you have heard it is I who must take responsibility for this as I should have had all the information Captain Kirk required. I am not only the First Officer but also his Chief Science Officer. All that occurred is entirely due to my failure to have been able to advise Captain Kirk of the possibility of a vessel in close proximity to us although from all the readings I was receiving did not provide sufficient data to categorically state that there was a vessel present. I failed in advising him of the possibility. I failed in my duty. I am the responsible party." Spock walked up to stand by Kirk's right side, aware at how the other four were standing as a shield.

"Now you just wait a minute, Spock! You just stop, all of you just stop. If anybody is to blame for the histrionics that occurred on the bridge after that attack then it is those three stuffed uniforms. They can talk about what should have been done, they can talk about us doing this or that wrong but that was clearly the first time they had seen what we see all too often. What they are too ashamed to do is say that they were scared, scared so much their systems evacuated in their pants and they all collapsed on the bridge into crying hysterical wrecks. They had just a minor sample of what we deal with all the time and to cover the fact that they were paralyzed with fear they decided to make the best damned command crew that exists look like a bunch of bungling imbeciles. Well, Sirs, each one of us might fall but we get back up." Kirk was aware of McCoy moving up to his left and heard him softly say, "Okay, link up," and the others stepped back and as they linked their arms McCoy looked at the panel. "We may each fall down and get up but when any fool tries to make us fall down we not only fall the seven times but we get up together the eighth time as a stronger unit."

For a moment McCoy was silent as he looked at all the others then looked back at the planet, "We are a unit. Those three who judged us were frightened individuals keen to blame others for their own failings. Unlike as it is with them, to punish one of us it to punish all of us. It is your decision."

"Thank you all we will get," the chairman started.

"No! You tell us now! If you are going to take action take the action we are used to, the action we know. Decide now!" McCoy looked at the chairman and Kirk knew there was no stopping him. "We are being judged on decisions we had to make in split seconds, you do the same. Are we free to go with clear records or do you want us to go with a lot of publicity?"

"Publicity. This is a closed meeting."

"It is but four hundred and thirty crew of the Enterprise know we are here and I have no doubt they have talked with others about what happened. There will be interest as this could happen to any crew on any starship at any time."

Again there was silence but the eleven members of the panel looked at each other and Kirk could see they were thinking over what McCoy had said.

"Captain James T. Kirk, you and your command crew are free to go. No mention of this hearing will appear on any of your records. You have reminded us of what most of us chose not to think about. You reminded us that it is a family like you seven are that protects us, that you confront things we are often too frightened to even think about. You may go."

As they walked out Spock looked at McCoy, "I must congratulate you on such a logical, if most emotional, exposition of events. Might I ask how you learned to be so adroit?"

McCoy stopped and looked up at his Vulcan friend, "You were my teacher, Spock. Over the years we have known each other I have seen you, watched you, heard you so many times turn the situation around by verbally browbeating somebody with the facts. I just did it my way and you know I am an emotional Human."

"I would not expect you to be anything else, Doctor. In fact, I am pleased you are emotional, it makes studying you so refreshing."

FIN

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A/n Well, that's that folder all retyped. Will be getting onto retyping the other stories. Hope you liked these. I vaguely remember when I was typing them in the 1980's how it was difficult to write them using the characters and saying she wanted used as well as getting them done after work so I could post one a day to her and then the fortnightly story. . . .


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